The International Nurses Day was marked at the Military Medical Academy today. The celebration was attended by State Secretary at the Ministry of Defence Mile Jelić and Head of the Military Health Department, Brigadier General Dr. Radivoje Anđelković.

Addressing the audience, Head of the Military Medical Academy, Colonel Prof. Miroslav Vukosavljević, M.D., Ph.D. wished all the nurses a happy International Nurses Day, emphasizing that military nurses and medical technicians were the “first line of defence of our health system, just as the brave and honourable soldier is the first line of defence of the country”.

- Wishing to achieve something great in your working lives, in 2021 you established a special and original Health Care Service, and today we opened the Health Care Office. I really hope that the new premises will contribute to the improvement in health care, that unique ideas will be created there, and that it will produce well-educated staff. I am immensely grateful to you for all of this and I wish you a happy holiday - said Colonel Vukosavljević.

Head of the Military Medical Academy stressed the importance of young physicians, nurses and medical technicians who had chosen the Military Medical Academy as their first employer.

- It is important that we pass on our knowledge and virtues to them, that we motivate them, give them moral strength when they falter and give them encouragement when they need it most - said Colonel Vukosavljević.

Head of the MMA Health Care Service, master nurse Bojana Jovanović, emphasized the importance of nursing in the health system and added: "Save one life, you’re a hero. Save 100 lives, you’re a nurse."

- Professionalism, hard work and performing daily tasks with great commitment were most noticeable during the pandemic. Although the World Health Organization has declared the end of the Covid-19 epidemic, I don’t think I have thanked all the nurses and technicians enough for working hard and helping tremendously these three years. Dear colleagues - thank you. As Florence Nightingale said, nurses can heal the heart, mind, soul and body of a patient, and only those who have chosen this profession out of love will remain - said Jovanović.

Every year, a medal is awarded to the best nurse at the MMA who has distinguished himself or herself in the previous year. The medal is named after the former MMA head nurse, Colonel Verica Ćorluka, who was responsible for the development of the nursing profession in that health institution. This year, the medal winner is Dubravka Obradović, head nurse of the MMA’s Rheumatology Clinic, and the award was presented to her by State Secretary Jelić.

The Head of the Military Medical Academy presented letters of commendation, and the Head of the MMA’s Health Care Service gave certificates of appreciation to colleagues, long-term associates and friends.

Before the ceremony, State Secretary Jelić attended the opening ceremony for the MMA Health Care Office and the presentation of a new trainer intended for training and educating medical staff. The trainer features a variety of modules, including the wound assessment and treatment module, patient monitor which records a patient’s vital signs in real time, and many other features necessary for daily patient care.

The International Nurses Day has been celebrated on May 12 since 1974 in honour of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing as a recognized profession, who was born on that day.