Overview
While the majority of medical equipment suppliers in Bosnia and Herzegovina are EU-based manufacturers, primarily from Germany and Italy, U.S. manufacturers such as GE Medical and Medtronic have made significant headway in recent years. U.S. medical equipment, specifically diagnostic-imaging equipment, can be found in the public clinical centers in Sarajevo, Tuzla, Banja Luka, and Mostar, as well as the newly opened private hospitals in Sarajevo. U.S. medical equipment enjoys an excellent reputation in BiH for state-of-the-art technology, quality, and reliability. However, the medical equipment market is very price sensitive, and EU manufacturers benefit from preferential tariff regimes.
The entity and cantonal Institutes of Health Insurance administer healthcare systems which are funded through compulsory payroll contributions from both employers and employees. BiH’s health care system is predominantly publicly funded; however, there are an increasing number of private practices and two new private hospitals in Sarajevo. The RS also has some public-private partnerships (PPP) in the health care system, but the Federation lacks a law to facilitate PPPs in any industry at the entity level. Individual cantons have their own PPP laws, which vary in quality.
Opportunities
The best prospects for U.S. medical equipment sales include cardiovascular diagnostic equipment, non-invasive surgical devices, anesthesia and intensive care equipment, diagnostic imaging (CTs, MRIs), radiation therapy equipment, ultrasound equipment, urology equipment, laboratory and testing equipment, and tissue and blood bank-related equipment. There are also good prospects for products such as ultra-violet/infra-red equipment used in medical, surgical, and dental procedures, as well as apparatuses based on the use of X-rays of alpha, beta, or gamma radiation treatments. Opportunities also exist for U.S. manufacturers of sophisticated diagnostic equipment such as electrocardiographs, endoscopes, scanners, imaging equipment, pacemakers, digitalized x-ray equipment, nuclear medicine instruments, and clinical laboratory equipment. Diagnostic imaging equipment, especially ultrasonic diagnostic equipment, and dialysis equipment, are in great demand.
Resources
- BiH Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices
- Ministry of Health of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of the Republika Srpska