Borovinić Bojović: Promoting youth health must be shared priority for institutions and society as whole

Support for the “European Youth Card (EYC) for Prevention and Health” initiative, with a focus on developing new healthcare benefits, preventive programmes and more accessible services for young people.

Montenegro’s Deputy Prime Minister for Health and Social Welfare Jelena Borovinić Bojović hosted earlier today Jugoslav Radović, President of the European Youth Card Association (EYCA) and Ksenija Đalović, Project Manager at the NGO Centre for Youth Education, as well as Marija Gošović, Director General of the Directorate for General and Vocational Education at the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, and Darko Stojanović, Director General of the Directorate for Youth and Cooperation with NGOs at the Ministry of Sports and Youth.

Deputy Prime Minister Borovinić Bojović expressed her support for the initiative, stressing that safeguarding young people's health is a matter of particular social importance and requires continuous, coordinated action by state institutions, the education system, healthcare institutions, civil society organisations and the private sector.

“Our goal must be to ensure that young people have timely access to reliable information, recognise the importance of looking after their own health and know where to ask for help. It is particularly important to speak openly about mental health, without stigma or prejudice, and to make preventive activities accessible to young people in their everyday environments. Investing in prevention means building a healthier and more resilient society,” the Deputy Prime Minister stated.

During the meeting, an initiative was presented to further enhance the European Youth Card (EYC) programme by developing a dedicated range of healthcare benefits and preventive activities for young people in Montenegro.

The initiative envisages establishing a broader network of partner healthcare institutions and service providers to improve young people's access, through the EYC card, to preventive examinations, laboratory tests, dental services, professional counselling and other services important for maintaining physical and mental health.

Particular attention was given to opportunities for involving private clinics, laboratories, dental practices and other healthcare providers in the European Youth Card programme by introducing new discounts, more favourable service terms and dedicated preventive programmes for young people. The aim is to make healthcare benefits a recognised and sustainably accessible component of the EYC programme, while continuously expanding its network of partners and range of services.

In addition to developing specific benefits, the initiative also includes year-round information and educational campaigns using the European Youth Card's existing communication channels. These campaigns would focus on improving health literacy, promoting healthy lifestyles, highlighting the importance of regular preventive examinations and encouraging people to seek professional help in a timely manner, with particular emphasis on young people's mental health.

As part of the planned activities, special attention will be devoted to sexually transmitted infections, the importance of immunisation and disease prevention. Opportunities for cooperation with educational institutions were also discussed to ensure that information about available healthcare services, preventive programmes and European Youth Card benefits reaches pupils and young people throughout Montenegro.

The proposal also includes actively involving young people in designing and implementing the campaigns, ensuring that the messages are tailored to their needs and communication habits.

The meeting considered models of institutional and cross-sectoral cooperation that would ensure the long-term sustainability of the initiative. The next steps identified include developing a specific model for healthcare benefits under the EYC programme, identifying potential public- and private-sector partners, defining priority prevention topics and preparing joint communication and educational activities.

The initiative's shared objective is to provide young people with easier access to information, more affordable healthcare services and preventive resources by bringing together institutions, the healthcare sector and the European Youth Card programme.

The European Youth Card will continue to serve as a strong and ongoing instrument of support for young people, not only through its existing network of benefits but also through the development of long-term programmes that contribute to the quality of life, health and well-being of young people in Montenegro.