Demonstration exercise "Autumn 2013" of the 4th class cadets of reserve medical officers school and cadet of reserve veterinarian officers school has successfully been completed yesterday at the Military Medical Academy.

Exercise topic was the Management of the injured and sick in a natural catastrophe situation - an earthquake. Participants had the opportunity not only to confirm the already achieved knowledge and skills but also to acquire new ones in managing and commanding organization and tactics of the medical service by medical stages as well as in providing medical help.

Addressing the guests, foreign military representatives in Belgrade, Austrian doctors who completed “War Surgery Course” at the Military Medical Academy and Angolan military delegation, the Head of the Military Health Department Brigadier General Prof. Dr. Zoran Popovic characterized their presence as an encouragement and impulse for carrying out further activities in the field of professional improvement and training as the aims of the exercise organized at the eminent military medical institution.

- My personal impression is that MMA Military Medical Training Center, the exercise organizer, achieves each year excellent results thus becoming potential regional center. All main preconditions can be fulfilled, as highly qualified teaching staff, adequate equipment and respectable clinical experience of MMA medical staff in managing injured and sick- said General Popovic pointing out the training and engagement of personnel in peacekeeping operations, one of the Training Center assignments, as very important for national defense strategic aims, training so far more than 130 members of the Defense Ministry and Serbian Armed Forces for UN missions in Congo and EU missions in Somalia.

Brigadier General Prof. Dr. Marijan Novakovic, Head of the Military Medical Academy stressed out the importance of help and promptly response in emergency situations as the responsibilities of all people, which should be equally administrated to Serbian citizens and our neighbors and friends.

- Natural catastrophes do not choose their victims and come unannounced, but we should be prepared if the help becomes necessary- said the MMA Head, expressing his conviction as well on good exercise preparation as the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and skills in managing and commanding organization and tactics of the medical service in case of emergency situations, where it is needed to manage endangered and injured persons.

Military exercise "Autumn 2013" continued in the MMA National Poison Center presenting the situation of the gas and toxic material leaking from the chemical plant and management of consequences and poisoned persons. The activity at one of the points, located in the Banjica barracks, was carried out by mixed preventive-medical and psychological-psychiatric medical teams in the earthquake area. At the further course of the event the attendees saw management of injured, medical reception point and evacuation by air.