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Zagreb Clinical Hospital Center Union Calls for Inspection Due to Chronic Staff Shortage

Tanja Leontić, president of the Zagreb Clinical Hospital Center Union, warns that the shortage of cleaners in Croatia's largest hospital jeopardizes patient safety and pay equity.

Foto: Wikipedia (Zdravstvo)
Summary
  • Tanja Leontić, president of the Zagreb Clinical Hospital Center Union, warned of an alarming shortage of cleaners in Croatia's largest hospital.
  • An inspection has been called at Rebro due to the problem.
  • Leontić emphasizes that cleaning an operating room, as a guarantee of patient safety, cannot be paid the same as cleaning a staircase.
  • She has been working at KBC Zagreb for over 34 years.

The alarming shortage of cleaners at the Zagreb Clinical Hospital Center (KBC Zagreb), Croatia's largest hospital, has brought a host of accumulated problems to the forefront this summer. From chronic staff shortages and questions of pay equity to concerning improvisations in the healthcare system, warns Tanja Leontić, president of the KBC Zagreb Union, in an interview with Večernji list published on August 18, 2026.

Inspection at Rebro Due to Staff Shortage

Leontić has publicly raised the alarm and called for an inspection at Rebro, the KBC Zagreb site. In the interview with Večernji list, she explains the reasons behind this step, emphasizing that this is not just a story about cleaners, but a deeper societal issue. Moreover, mistakes at a level we often take for granted can prove fatal.

Difference in Responsibility

Leontić encapsulated the key message about pay equity in one sentence: "The same pay cannot apply to cleaning a staircase and cleaning an operating room, which is also a guarantee of patient safety." In doing so, she highlighted that the responsibility and importance of tasks within the same profession vary significantly, and this should be reflected in compensation.

Over Three Decades at KBC Zagreb

Leontić holds a master's degree in medical laboratory diagnostics and has been working at KBC Zagreb for over 34 years. She began her professional career at the Clinical Institute for Laboratory Diagnostics, in the Department for Diagnosis of Inherited Metabolic Diseases and Primary Screening. In recent years, she has actively served as president of the Workers' Council of KBC Zagreb and president of the KBC Zagreb Union.

FAQ
Who warned about the shortage of cleaners at KBC Zagreb? +
Tanja Leontić, president of the Zagreb Clinical Hospital Center Union, publicly warned about the alarming shortage of cleaners.
Why was an inspection called at Rebro? +
The inspection was called due to the chronic staff shortage and concerning improvisations in the healthcare system.
What does Leontić say about pay equity? +
She believes that the same pay cannot apply to cleaning a staircase and cleaning an operating room, which is a guarantee of patient safety.
How long has Tanja Leontić worked at KBC Zagreb? +
She has been working at KBC Zagreb for over 34 years, starting her career at the Clinical Institute for Laboratory Diagnostics.

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