Retired vascular surgeon Luka Pirnat now works as a family doctor on Iž. His official practice operates in Mali Iž and Veli Iž—his personal dedication is not a formal 24-hour service.

01

Why Luka Pirnat came to Iž

Luka Pirnat, a retired vascular surgeon and family doctor from Sarajevo, has taken over medical work on Iž. The television report presents his decision as a deliberate move from retirement into a small island community.

A permanent practice gives the island's roughly 300 year-round residents greater continuity. The number of people on the island rises sharply in summer, along with the need for accessible everyday medical care.

02

The official weekly schedule

The Zadar County Health Centre lists consultations on several days and in two locations: Monday and Thursday mornings in Mali Iž, Tuesday and Friday mornings in Veli Iž, and Wednesday afternoons in Veli Iž.

The official practice page gives 023 277 012 as the contact number. As schedules can change, travellers should confirm the time and location by phone before setting out.

A medical bag and stethoscope lie beside a blank weekly schedule as an island boat docks outside the window
Golden Beach / OpenAI ImageGen · editorial illustration
03

Personal commitment is not a 24-hour service

In the report, Pirnat describes medicine as his vocation and says in essence that he is available to island residents around the clock. That explains his attitude, but it does not replace a published on-call or emergency rota.

Outside consultation hours and in acute emergencies, 112 therefore remains the number to call. Treating his personal statement as a guarantee that the practice is always open would turn a profile into a service obligation that the official page does not list.

04

What visitors should clarify in advance

European travellers should carry their EHIC, identification, medication list and any existing medical records. For a planned consultation, a phone call is better than making an unannounced journey between Mali Iž and Veli Iž.

Bring a sufficient supply of regularly needed medicines. A small island practice cannot replace every diagnostic service, every medicine or specialist treatment on the mainland.

05

Healthcare remains a chain

The family practice is the first point of contact for many conditions. More serious cases involve the emergency service, transport and further care in Zadar; weather and transport links can add time on an island.

That is precisely why Pirnat's work matters, without romanticising it. A committed individual strengthens care—but cannot remove the geographical limits of island medicine.

Evidence

Sources & date

Sources support the facts. Planning notes and recommendations are Golden Beach editorial assessments.

  1. Nakon mirovine odjenuo kutu i otišao na IžNova TV / Dnevnik.hr · 4 September 2026profile, professional background, resident count and the doctor's personal statements
  2. Luka Pirnat – family medicineZadar County Health Centre · checked on 4 September 2026official practice locations, weekly hours, address and telephone number
Time-sensitive information may change. Please check the linked primary source before travelling.