Today, while visiting military hospitals in Novi Sad and Belgrade, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojša Stefanović, PhD, thanked all the people who fight against Covid-19 day and night, especially doctors, nurses and medical technicians, and pointed out that “it is our duty, as the citizens of Serbia, to help these people”.   

- We have to help them by being responsible ourselves, by following recommendations and what we are told to do, and thus preserving our health, but also sparing them. It is not easy to work 24 hours a day in difficult conditions, risking your health and the health of your family, while the citizens are not even aware of how great a risk it is – said Minister Stefanović and expressed his deep gratitude “as the minister of defence, but also as a citizen”.

Stefanović visited the Military Hospital in Novi Sad which is ready to admit the first Covid positive patients today. Thirty-five beds have been prepared, with 26 oxygen supply connections and 10 oxygen concentrators and, in cooperation with the Clinical Centre of Vojvodina, it will be able to accommodate moderately ill patients, who will be given full attention and treatment here, according to Minister Stefanović.

- Today you saw new equipment and oxygen concentrators, new beds and new monitors installed in the intensive care system, but also other hospital systems, and you will have the opportunity to see them being used in the coming days so that the citizens of Serbia can receive the best possible treatment in the military health care system – Minister Stefanović said.

Minister Stefanović also visited the Military Medical Centre Karaburma today, which has been a part of the Covid system since April, and where 80 patients are currently being treated. 

- We want to emphasize the importance of the military health care system because the people who work here day and night are the backbone of our defence against this vicious disease, but they are also the backbone of the military health care system – said the Minister of Defence.

He also thanked all those who work hard on the construction of new hospitals in Batajnica and Kruševac, and on expanding the capacities of the existing military hospitals. 

- I am glad I had the opportunity to meet some amazing doctors and medical staff today and I will try to do whatever I can, together with my team, to make their job easier, to make sure that they always have enough supplies, enough medicines, so that we can beat this disease together, and I ask the citizens once again to be disciplined and follow doctors’ advice – said Minister Stefanović.

Head of the Military Hospital Novi Sad, Colonel Dragan Koruga, MD, emphasized that this hospital treated 202 Covid-19 patients from July to September, that the staff provided care to Covid patients at several locations in Vojvodina, but they also provided assistance to the temporary hospital in Novi Pazar.

- We have procured all the necessary equipment and medicines for the next period, and we have excellent cooperation with the Military Health Department, the city administration, and the Clinical Centre of Vojvodina. This cooperation is necessary for this to function – said Colonel Koruga.

According to the commander of the Covid hospital of the Military Medical Centre “Karaburma”, Colonel Ivo Udovičić, MD,  14 patients are in intensive care in this hospital, 10 of whom on ventilators. We have been here since the outbreak of the epidemic, practically since 1st April, and we have not closed the hospital for a single moment – says Colonel Udovičić and emphasizes that today’s visit from the Minister of Defence means a lot to everyone in the military health care because they count on his further help and support.

Military hospitals in Novi Sad and Belgrade were also visited today by the Head of Military Healthcare Department, Major General Uglješa Jovičić, MD.