Legal status and visa requirements for those who were forced to leave Ukraine
The legal status of the Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine, that comes to Montenegro is temporary protection based on the Decision of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Neither a visa nor a biometric passport are required for the Ukrainians who are fleeing the war to be able to enter Montenegro.
How to apply for the temporary protection status in Montenegro
Ukrainians should first go to the point where they will be registered for the application. The point is located in Podgorica, 1-5 Balšića, “Jet Travel”. They should bring their passport. The service is provided in Ukrainian, Montenegrin, and English. The registration process can take several days.
After the application is submitted and registered, the Ukrainians should pick up the confirmation from “Jet Travel” and go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) which is located in Policija, Podgorica.
The Ukrainians will have their fingerprints, biometric data, and a photo taken. The processing of the application may take up to two months.
Useful contacts for the Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine and came to Montenegro:
Phone: +382 20 482 848
Email: pr@gov.me, sandra.madzarovic@gsv.gov.me
Address: Karađorđeva bb, 81000 Podgorica
Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP)
Department: Registration of residence of foreign nationals in Montenegro
+382 20 225 973
odsjekzasisnm.rukovodilac@policija.me
Department for integration:
E-mail: integracija.reintegracija@mup.gov.me
Address: 6 Bulevar Jovana Tomaševića, Podgorica, Montenegro
Phone: +382 20 241 819
Email: ckcg@t-com.me
The UN Refugee Agency in Montenegro
Phone:+382 20 482-133
Email: kabinet@mzd.gov.me
Address: Rimski trg 46, 81000 Podgorica
Address: Džona Džeksona bb
Phone: +382 20 412 888
Email: ijzcg@ijzcg.me
Health Insurance Fund of Montenegro
Address: Vaka Đurovića bb, 81000 Podgorica
Phone:+382 20 404 101
Email: kabinet@rfzcg.co.me
Access to healthcare services
Fees
Medical services, that are provided free of charge for the citizens of Montenegro, are as well provided free of charge for the Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine. See more here.
Where can the Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine go for healthcare services?
The Ukrainians who are fleeing the war should go to public or private hospitals to receive medical care. No registration within healthcare services is required. Patients should bring the confirmation that they have temporary protection status and their ID.
Public medical centres in Podgorica:
Address: Ljubljanska bb, 81 000 Podgorica
A list of centres and clinics are available here
Emergency Centre in Podgorica:
Address: C7W7+737, Vaka Đurovića, Podgorica
Phone: +38220481-900
Address: Ljubljanska bb, 81 000 Podgorica
Phone: +38220481-900
Call centre: 19816
Email:
Private hospital in Podgorica:
Address: Ul. Radosava Burića – pod Ljubović, 81000 Podgorica
Phone: +382 69 300 300
Email:
Fee per visit to a doctor (a consultation) – 30 EURO
Specialised hospitals in Montenegro:
Public hospitals in Montenegro:
Address: Podgrad b.b. Stari Grad
Phone: + 382 30 34 23 33
Email:
Address: Address: Svetog Save br.33
Phone: +382 51 230 630, 230 632
Email:
Address: Škaljari b.b.
Phone: +382 32 325 601
Email:
Address: Lovćenskog bataljona b.b.
Phone: +382 52 300 168
Email:
Address: UVuka Mićunovića b.b.
Phone: +382 41 231 336
Email:
Address: Medanovići b.b.
Phone: +382 50 486 286
Email:
Address: Nikca od Rovina b.b
Phone: +382 40 231 204
Email:
Health Centres in Montenegro:
Interpretation services
Only Red Cross has a few volunteers who speak Ukrainian and Russian, mainly based in the Municipalities of Budva and Herceg Novi. The medical services are provided in Montenegrin and English.
Services for People Living with HIV
HIV-testing
Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine can get free HIV testing at the HIV counselling centre of the Institute of Public Health and at 7 HIV counselling centres located at the health centres. Minors can be counselled but testing can be done only in the presence of a parent or trusted guardian. If a Ukrainian who was forced to leave Ukraine tests positive, they may, in accordance with the decision of the Government of Montenegro, continue treatment in Montenegro if they obtained temporary protection status. Otherwise, they will be treated as tourists.
Health centres in Montenegro where HIV testing can be done:
Address: Branka Deletića b.b.
Phone: +382 51 243 407
Email: jzudza@t-com.me
Address: Vuka Mićunovića b.b.
Phone: +382 41 231 502, 231 198
Email: domzdravljact@t-com.me
3. Health Center Danilovgrad
Address: I Bokeljske brigade b.b.
Phone: +382 20 812 106
+382 20 811 575
Email: domzdravljadg@t-com.me
Address: Nikole Ljubibratića br.1
Phone: +382 31 343 024, 343 111
Email: domzdravljahn@t-com.me
Address: Dunje Đokić b.b.
Phone: +382 20 865 140, 865 160
Email: dzkolasin@t-com.me
Address: Dobrota b.b.
Phone: +382 32 334 533
Email: domzdr@t-com.me
Address: Njegoševa b.b.
Phone: +382 50 472 246, 470 308
Email: jzudzmojkovac@t-com.me
Address: Radoja Dakića b.b.
Phone: +382 40 231 202
Email: dzniksic@t-com.me
Address: Hridska b.b.
Phone: +382 51 251 103
Email: dzplav@t-com.me
Address: Lovćenskih bataljona b.b.
Phone: +382 52 311 026
Email: domzdravljapv@t-com.me
Address: Trg Kralja Nikole br.6
Phone: +382 20 481 900,481 901
Email: domzdravljapdg@t-com.me
Address: 29. Novembra b.b.
Phone: +382 51 273 676
Email: dzrozaje@t-com.me
Address: Park b.b.
Phone: +382 32 671 982
Email: domzdravljatv@t-com.me
Address: Majke Tereze b.b.
Phone: +382 30 412 424, 412 433
Email: policlinicul@t-com.me
Antiretroviral treatment (ART)
People on ART can bring their own medication into Montenegro. They do not have to bring their doctor’s prescription, but it would be preferable for them to have a medical report stating that the medicines are for personal use and are used to manage HIV infection. Free ART is provided only with a prescription from the doctor (infectiologist), but not with prescriptions issued in Ukraine. With the temporary protection status, registration can be done by a general practitioner who will give the prescription to the appropriate institutions for diagnosis and treatment (the same approach as for the citizens of Montenegro). General practitioners can be found in public and private hospitals and health centres mentioned above. Therapy for minors can be administered only in the presence of a parent or trusted guardian.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
Not applicable for Montenegro – no PrEP in Montenegro.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
Post-exposure prophylaxis is applied in case of occupational and non-professional exposure in accordance with the risk assessment (an epidemiologist in the service of the health institution to which the person reports, assesses the risk and the infectiologist from the Infectious Diseases Clinic of the Clinical Centre of Montenegro prescribes therapy). PEP treatment lasts 28 days and should start latest 72 hours after exposure. In case there is a confirmed risk, the PEP treatment is free of charge. There is no minimum age to receive HIV post-exposure prophylaxis. To get HIV PEP, the Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine report to the nearest epidemiological service, which refers them to the Infectious Diseases Clinic of the Clinical Centre of Montenegro for prescriptions. They then go to the only pharmacy in Podgorica, AU Montefarm, where they get the therapy based on the written prescription.
Source: Dr Aleksandra Marjanović, Institute of public health of Montenegro; address: Džona Džeksona bb; phone: +382 20 412 888; email: aleksandra.marjanovic@ijzcg.me.
Services for People Living with Hepatitis B or C
Hepatitis B or C testing, hepatitis B vaccination, and hepatitis B or C treatment availability
All Ukrainians with the temporary protection status have access to health care; which includes diagnostics, treatment at all levels of health care in Montenegro, drugs from the list of drugs that are prescribed, and the cost is covered by the Health Insurance Fund.
Testing for HBV and HCV is free of charge and is available in healthcare facilities with recommendation from a doctor. Testing on personal request can be done in private laboratories and costs around 15 euros.
Vaccination against hepatitis B is free of charge for persons to whom itis recommended or mandatory according to legal acts (i.e. for new-borns and according to epidemiological indications). Vaccination for children with vaccines from the obligatory vaccination calendar is performed at health centres (paediatric services). Those administered according to epidemiological indications are given at the Hygienic and Epidemiological Services of health centres and the Institute of Public Health. The contacts of these centres can be found above.
Ukrainians with the temporary protection status are supposed to report to the selected doctor in the health centre, who makes recommendations to other levels of health care for diagnosis and treatment.
If a person does not have medical documentation, diagnosis is determined through laboratory testing and the required medical examinations. Serological and molecular tests (serological testing, PCR tests, as well as genotyping) are available.
The patient is then referred (by the chosen doctor) to an infectiologist who recommends further treatment, monitoring and control.
Indications for HBV testing are:
- People in close contact with someone who is infected with the hepatitis B virus (sexual partners, children, and other family members and close household contacts)
- Pregnant women in the third trimester
- Children of mothers infected with hepatitis B
- Healthcare professionals
- People who have ever or currently use injecting drugs
- Persons born or raised in countries with a medium or high prevalence (2% or more) of chronic hepatitis B, including Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central and South America, Eastern and Southern Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific
- Men who have sex with men
- Persons who have had unprotected sex, in particular:
- persons with multiple sexual partners
- persons who had unprotected sexual intercourse during their stay in areas of medium and high prevalence of hepatitis B
- persons diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection
- Sex workers
- Prisoners
- Migrants in reception centres
Indications for HCV testing:
- Persons who received a blood transfusion or blood derivative before 1995
- People who had surgery before 1995 and do not know if they received blood or blood derivatives
- Pregnant women
- Healthcare workers at risk
- People who have ever or currently use injecting drugs
- People in close contact with someone who is infected with the hepatitis C virus
- Children of mothers infected with hepatitis C
- Sex workers
- Homosexuals
- Persons who have lived in high-risk countries for a long time (Africa, Southeast Asia, countries of the former Soviet Union)
- People with elevated aminotransferases (AST, ALT) of unknown cause
- Prisoners
- Migrants in reception centres
Treatment options available for hepatitis related liver diseases, including support systems (harm reduction/safer use, social support, or psychosocial support)
The priority for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B is:
- Patients with clinically clear signs of compensated or decompensated cirrhosis (or APRI score> 2), regardless of ALT, HBV RNA and HBeAg status.
- Adult patients with chronic hepatitis B who do not have clinical signs of cirrhosis (or APRI score ≤2) but are older than 30 years and have persistently elevated ALT and high HBV replication (HBV DNA> 20,000 IU / mL), regardless on HBeAg status.
General conditions for starting treatment for hepatitis C:
- HCV RNA positive
- Older than 12 years.
- People who inject drugs need to abstain from intravenous narcotics for at least 6 months (evidence is documented by a psychiatrist and the results of toxicological tests during treatment every 3 months).
Hepatitis C treatment is indicated for all patients aged 12 years and older with a diagnosis of HCV infection, regardless of whether or not they were previously treated.
Priority for treatment is determined by the stage of fibrosis, the risk of progression to advanced disease, the presence of extrahepatic manifestations, and comorbidities.
Priority in treatment is given to:
- patients with significant fibrosis (F3 according to Metavir) or cirrhosis (F4) including decompensated cirrhosis;
- patients with HBV or HIV coinfection;
- patients with an indication for liver transplantation;
- patients with recurrent HCV infection after liver transplantation;
- patients with HCV infection before and after solid organ transplantation;
- patients with clinically significant extrahepatic manifestations of infection.
Hepatitis B vaccination:
- Mandatory active immunisation of persons of a certain age against hepatitis B is carried out in children aged zero to five years.
- Immunization of persons according to epidemiological and clinical indications against hepatitis B is carried out:
- for all unvaccinated and incompletely vaccinated persons working in health care institutions, including pupils and students of health specializations;
- persons with haemophilia;
- persons on haemodialysis;
- sexual partners of HBsAg positive individuals;
- intravenous drug users;
- people with insulin-dependent diabetes;
- persons placed in institutions for the execution of criminal sanctions.
Harm reduction programs (exchange of syringes and needles, psychosocial support) are implemented by NGOs. There are three drop-in centres for drug users in Montenegro (two in Podgorica and one in Bar). The outreach program operates in several major municipalities in Montenegro. These programs are implemented by the NGO CAZAS and the NGO Juventas.
Psychosocial support is also provided by the NGO Crnogorska fondacija for HIV (MHF), which is an association of people living with HIV and viral hepatitis.
Tuberculosis services
Medical services that are provided free of charge for the citizens of Montenegro are as well provided free of charge for the Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine.
Opioid agonist treatment (OAT) services
Medication rules
Centres for opioid substitution therapy (buprenorphine and methadone are prescribed) operate in some health centres in Montenegro (in Podgorica, Bar, Kotor, Berane, Bijelo Polje). OAT is also prescribed by psychiatrists at the Clinic for Neuropsychiatric Diseases KCCG (at the Clinical Centre of Montenegro in Podgorica). The list of healthcare facilities is above.
Source: Dr Alma Čičić, Institute of Public Health of Montenegro; address: Džona Džeksona bb; phone: +382 20 412 888; email: alma.cicic@gmail.com.
Sources
General requirements and access to healthcare
-
01. Informacija u vezi statusa lica iz Ukrajine u Crnoj Gori sa predlogom odluke o odobravanju privremene zaštite licima iz Ukrajine
Informacija u vezi statusa lica iz Ukrajine u Crnoj Gori sa predlogom odluke o odobravanju privremene zaštite licima iz Ukrajine. Ministarstvo Unutrašnjih Poslova: Podgorica, 09.03.2022, 5 p.
wapi.gov.me/pdf
HIV
-
01. Dr Aleksandra Marjanovic, Institute of public health of Montenegro
Dr Aleksandra Marjanovic, Institute of public health of Montenegro; Address: Džona Džeksona bb; Phone: +382 20 412 888;
Email: aleksandra.marjanovic@ijzcg.me
Hepatitis B/C
-
01. Dr Alma Čičić, Institute of public health of Montenegro
Dr Alma Čičić, Institute of public health of Montenegro; Address: Džona Džeksona bb; Phone: +382 20 412 888;
Email: alma.cicic@gmail.com
TB
OAT
-
01. Dr Alma Čičić, Institute of public health of Montenegro
Dr Alma Čičić, Institute of public health of Montenegro; Address: Džona Džeksona bb; Phone: +382 20 412 888;
Email: alma.cicic@gmail.com