The analysis on joint medical engagement of MoD, SAF and Ohio National Guard Staff was held at the Military medical Academy evaluating and sharing impressions regarding the engagement on the territory of Pcinj administrative district. The meeting was attended by Deputy Head of the Military Health Care Department Colonel Ugljesa Jovicic, Brigadier General Gregory N. Schnulo of the Ohio National Guard and Deputy head of the Military Medical Academy Colonel Prof. Dr. Dragan Dinčić.

Colonel Jovicic thanked the participants of the medical engagement and said that everyone was well prepared for this activity, and, as he said, their efforts paid off in the end.

Lt. Col. Dr Aleksandar Radunovic, commander of the medical engagement pointed out that during the fifteen days medical teams examined about 1,900 patients and performed 3,364 examinations at eight locations. The largest burden experienced departments of triage, ophthalmology and internal medicine. On the basis of engagement, it could be concluded that the main problem was the low level of patients’ health education (personal and dental health) – most of them suffered from chronic diseases, but did not take any therapy. Very difficult availability to medical services in this region has caused that half of the examined patients had never been in their life at the ophthalmologic examination, and a large number of orthopedic patients reported with undiagnosed and untreated arthritical injuries on major joints.

MMA Deputy Head Professor Dincic stressed the importance of joint action from a humanitarian point of view and said that he would initiate discussions with colleagues from the Ministry of Health and civilian medical facilities in order to provide an adequate medical assistance to the population.

About the results and impressions also spoke a coordinator of the whole activity Col. Dr Miroslav Brocic and team leaders of the Ohio National Guard and the Armed Forces of Angola - colonels Kavin Edwards and Marlen Fonseka.

The joint medical engagement of the Ministry of Defence, the Serbian Armed Forces and the Ohio National Guard, which has been the subject of analysis, began on 6 September and lasted 15 days. It was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Defence, Department of Military Health Care, Military Medical Academy, the Ohio National Guard, and, as observers, representatives of the Armed Forces of Angola. The joint medical engagement included free of charge medical examinations of citizens from eight villages that are remote from health care facilities in the towns of Presevo and Bujanovac. Teams were consisted of general practitioners, pediatricians, gynecologists, dermatologists, infectious diseases specialists, ophthalmologists and other specialists as needed, as well as dentists; also the veterinary and preventive medical team operated in the field. This joint action included 31 member staff of MoD and SAF, 25 of the Ohio National Guard and three observers from Angola.