Complementary and alternative medicine – a cost-effective solution in a health care system of transitional economies

Virtually all countries report a gap between the budget allocated for health care and the demand placed on the system by its users. This gap is more pronounced in developing countries, and is even further exacerbated in a transitional country like Serbia and Montenegro (S&M). This country experienced more than a decade of civil war and international isolation in addition to its transition from communism to a market economy. SWOT analysis has identified the main weaknesses of the S&M public health care system as insufficient funding, low quality and ineffectiveness, lack of continuing education for medical profes…