Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Miloš Vučević attended today the ceremony marking the Military Medical Academy Day and its 179th anniversary.

At the beginning of his address, Minister Vučević congratulated all the laureates on their awards and the members of the Military Medical Academy on their anniversary. He said that the MMA’s history was fascinating.
- A clever decision made by Prince Aleksandar Karađorđević. Not many European countries had an institution like this at the time. Serbia, which was waking up from slavery that had lasted for five centuries and fighting for its independence and sovereignty, realized that in order for a country to function perfectly, it needed a military health institution like this, said Minister Vučević. This, he said, imposes an obligation upon all current and future generations.  
- The MMA’s most valuable asset is neither this fantastic building nor this beautiful location, but the trust citizens place in you. That is something that no one can take away from you. And that is something you are obliged to protect, because I am sure that, at the mention of the MMA, the first thing that comes to mind to the vast majority of people, is trust. And trust is based on hard work, effort, knowledge, dedication and commitment, said the Minister of Defence.

Just as honour is said to be the most valuable thing about officers’ noble profession, so the greatest asset of the MMA is the trust people place in it, the minister said.

- So, do your best to keep it. Don't let anyone take it away from you, because no one has the right to do so. I would like to thank General Jevtić, the MMA’s long-time chief, for mentioning that there was a period when the MMA was, I won't say, brought into question, but solutions were being sought regarding its status. I think that today there is no dilemma - Serbia needs the MMA in its full capacity - to work, to provide the best possible health service to all citizens, and to be competitive with other health institutions, to have the right to compete in the most delicate field for all the citizens - health and healthcare, said the Minister of Defence.
He said that the MMA had achieved fantastic results, that the new angiography suite was great, and that the MMA building would undergo a complete energetic refurbishment.

- Take care of people. The best angiography suite and the most modern equipment are worth nothing if there is no one to work. Your staff is your greatest asset. You have the citizens’ trust because of your staff, because of generations of people who have worked here for almost 180 years. Let that be your guiding thought until your great jubilee next March, which few countries can boast of, Minister Vučević said.

Addressing the audience, Colonel Vukosavljević spoke about the MMA’s accomplishments over the past year, describing that period as a time of great challenges.

- However, as our people say, challenges are nothing but opportunities for progress. Challenging times have made us stronger and produced results, which we can boast about today. Over the past year, the MMA has held onto traditional values such as teaching, education, introduction of new diagnostic and treatment methods, as well as close cooperation with respected colleagues from civil and international health institutions. Somewhat modestly in the beginning, until the last several months’ excellent results, which are the flagship of the efforts we have made, said Colonel Vukosavljević.

According to him, thanks to the support of the Minister of Defence, state secretaries, assistants, the Military Health Department and the SOVO Fund, as well as to the huge effort of everyone involved in the procurement process, the MMA has now got the third and the most modern angio suite.

By tradition, the Organizational Unit of the Year was recognized. The award went to the Clinic for Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy of the Military Medical Academy, and the award was presented to Deputy Head of the Clinic, Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Zoran Vukić, by the Minister of Defence.

For years, the MMA has been awarding the medal named after a great Serbian surgeon, Dr. Vladan Đorđević, and this year, the prestigious award was given to the former head of the MMA, Prof. Miodrag Jevtić (retd) and the professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Novi Sad and head of department at the Clinic for Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery of the Clinical Centre of Vojvodina, Prof. Rajko Jović. The winners were presented with the medals by the head of the Surgical Clinics Group, MMA, Prof. Boban Đorđević.

General Jevtić addressed the audience on behalf of the award winners, congratulating everyone on today’s anniversary. He said that he was happy that the MMA was "valued, appreciated and respected both at home and abroad and that it is finally getting the place it rightfully deserves".

During the ceremony, Colonel Vukosavljević also presented certificates of appreciation to the MMA’s collaborators - Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Plazinić from the Military Quality Control and Nataša Šišaković, Executive Director of Operations at “PUC Gradsko-Zelenilo Beograd".

Prior to the ceremony, Minister Vučević, accompanied by his associates, visited the new state-of-the-art angiography room, where cardiac catheterization is performed, the third one at the MMA, the purchase of which facilitates the treatment of patients with acute coronary syndrome and the patients suffering from the most serious cardiovascular diseases.
As a sign of gratitude for his assistance in improving the institution, the head of the MMA, Colonel Miroslav Vukosavljević, presented the MMA Plaque to Minister Vučević.
Today's ceremony, held at the Military Medical Academy, was attended by the Deputy Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, Lieutenant General Petar Cvetković, Head of the Military Health Department, Brigadier General Radivoje Anđelković, State Secretary at the Ministry of Health Mirsad Đerlek, representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, friends and guests.