Organization and work of medical service during 1992 military operations in north Bosnia (Bosanska Posavina).

During military operations in Bosanska Posavina in 1992, 6,105 soldiers of the army of the Croatian Defence Council (Bosnian Croats and Muslims) were treated at various health care levels: 920 soldiers were killed, 3,258 were heavily wounded, and 1,927 lightly wounded. The treatment was provided in medical units organized on the front line, in the combat area, and in the communication area. On the front line, medical service was organized as battalion units, whereas the area in general was medically covered by the Slavonski Brod Medical Center in Croatia. Slavonski Brod played a key role with surgical treatment of 5,418 wounded, and definitive care was offered to most subjects seeking medical aid. Scarcity of medical personnel on the front lines and long lines of transportation resulted in a 6.5% death rate (354 patients) during transportation from Bosnian battlefields to Slavonski Brod. In contrast, the mortality rate in the Slavonski Brod Hospital was 3.0% (161 patients). Convalescence homes were established in the Slavonski Brod surroundings, whereas specialized health institutions and rehabilitation centers throughout Croatia accommodated those needing advanced treatment.