Building on an uninterrupted work and experience in the area of migration and health over the past 6 years, and a long-standing cooperation with the Croatian Border Police Directorate (BPD), BPD has approached IOM Croatia to design two training courses for border police officers at two locations in Croatia. 

Following up on regional MHD projects and actions, BPD has relied on IOM for training design and delivery throughout several projects, including Equi-Health, Re-Health 1 and 2, as well as MIG-H and TRAIN4M&H trainings. 

IOM Croatia and BPD have been on the lookout over the past years to secure funding towards the advancement of the knowledge of border police officers in migrant health, public and occupational health for front-line police officers. 

BPD has now secured an EC funding and has identified training in migration and health as an important activity to be devolved to field staff. For that reason, BPD has approached IOM Croatia to design and deliver two Train-the-Trainers (ToT) courses to reach border police officers from 10 police precincts in the areas surrounding Vukovar and Topusko areas.

This project aims to build capacity of border police officers in providing first aid in non-urban areas by organizing and delivering two specialized trainings in two geographical areas in Croatia bordering with Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Areas surrounding Vukovar and Topusko have been suggested by BPD per field needs identified. 

Each training last for two days and covered following areas:

  • Complexity of health needs, challenges and risks faced by migration populations, with special focus on communicable, infectious and non-communicable diseases, and an approach to an unwell person in context of gender, cultural specifics and language barriers;
  • Occupational Health, with focus on the protection and promotion of health of police officers by preventing and controlling occupational diseases and accidents, including stress management and self-care;
  • Basic Life Support (BLS) including Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), a lifesaving technique useful in many emergencies, including heart attacks or near drowning, in which someone's breathing or heartbeat has stopped;
  • Use of nation-wide available Automated External Defibrillators (AED), a portable electronic device allowing the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm;
  • Scene safety and familiarization with all necessary medical and protective equipment;
  • Basic trauma care in 3 steps (Triage - identifying the injured and treating them according to severity with the most severe being treated first; Primary survey -identifying life-threatening injuries and treating them as soon as possible; Secondary survey -a detail head-to-toe examination; Treating and stabilizing injured person according to the means available; Transport of the injured person to the hospital while monitoring vital signs.

The above described training activities were provided to beneficiaries by the experienced trainers from Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) whose standards and training programs have been nationally recognized and validated by national authorities.

During the course of all training activities, special attention was paid to gender considerations. Gender considerations included examination of differences in gender needs, roles, experiences, opportunities and priorities, particularly those of women, single women with children, girls and boys and other relevant groups, including sensitisation of stakeholders involved, as necessary.

The sustainability of the action were fostered by BPD, as trainers trained through these Train-theTrainers (ToT) courses will continue and do further courses to other Border police officers in 10 police precincts in the areas surrounding Vukovar and Topusko areas.

Participants Statistics 

Providing first aid training in non-urban condition for border police officers

13 June 2019, Hotel Kunjevci, Vinkovci
Number of participants 16
M 10
F 6
14 June 2019, Hotel Kunjevci, Vinkovci
Number of participants 15
M 9
F 6
27 June 2019, Top Terme, Topusko
Number of participants 16
M 10
F 6
28 June 2019, Top Terme, Topusko
Number of participants 14
M 10
F 4

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Past Projects