The Ministry of Health has confirmed it is coordinating activities with the embassy in Dublin and KBC Zagreb, but the key decision on transporting 38-year-old Denis Vejzović rests with Irish doctors.
The family of 38-year-old Denis Vejzović from Rijeka is going through agony as he lies in a coma in a hospital in Cork, Ireland, following a ruptured aneurysm. While the Irish medical team believes there is no hope for recovery and is considering turning off life support, his loved ones are racing against time to have him transferred to Croatia by emergency medical transport, hoping that continued treatment at home could bring new hope.
The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia has confirmed they are aware of the case and are taking concrete steps. "In such situations, the usual protocol is for the family to contact the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Ireland as soon as possible, which provides consular assistance and coordinates the necessary operational activities," the Ministry stated for Novi list.
According to their statements, the Croatian Embassy in Dublin contacted them on August 6, 2026, with the Vejzović family's request for the possibility of continuing treatment in Croatia. Upon receiving the request, actions were taken in cooperation with the relevant healthcare institutions.
To gain a full picture of the patient's condition, direct contact has been established between the medical teams at the Cork hospital and the Zagreb University Hospital Center (KBC Zagreb). The goal is to exchange medical documentation and make a professional assessment. Simultaneously, procedures have been initiated with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO) to resolve the legal and financial frameworks for a potential transport.
A key prerequisite for any further step is the assessment of whether the patient is medically fit for transport, which is currently being evaluated.
The Ministry of Health emphasizes that the possibility of accepting Denis Vejzović in Croatia primarily depends on the opinion and assessment of the Irish medical team currently caring for him, as well as on an agreement between Croatian and Irish experts. They stress that they are in continuous cooperation with the Croatian diplomatic mission in Ireland and are actively monitoring the situation, while his relatives and acquaintances anxiously await any encouraging information that could bring hope for his survival.
