Rebuilding the healthcare system in Mostar: challenge and opportunity.

A basic premise of this article is that the political and ethnic division of the city of Mostar imperils community health planning efforts beyond those normally encountered in the aftermath of war. Bosnia and Herzegovina is divided among ethnic groups, and the city of Mostar is further subdivided between the Croatian and Muslim interest groups. In that respect, Mostar presents a very special challenge to those planning the reconstruction of the health care delivery infrastructure. A new healthcare delivery plan was organized by the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1996. This paper examines obstacles involved in implementing that plan in light of some epidemiological indicators of current health conditions.