The ceremony marking the 30th July - the Day of the Serbian Military Medical Services was held in the amphitheater of the Military Medical Academy, today. Present at the event was the Serbian AF Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant-General Ljubisa Dikovic.

Starting with a retrospective look at the rich history of the Medical Services in the region, and its current organization as well, the Surgeon General of the Military Health Department, Colonel Professor, Zoran Popovic, said that the Military Healthcare System in our country functioned without greater problems.

Colonel Popovic pointed out the most important activities that marked the year that is behind us singling out, in particular, the changes made to the SOVO Fund (Social Insurance Fund for the Military Insured Personnel), which, as of the 1st of January this year, within the framework for restructuring this Service, was integrated into the Pension and Disability Insurance System of the Republic of Serbia. He also mentioned the deployment of military medical teams to peacekeeping operations worldwide.

In order to improve the functioning of this Service, as he announced, a new Health Information System, which will greatly facilitate the monitoring of patients' data will soon be introduced into the Military Healthcare System.

Today's ceremony was an opportunity to award an author for the best work of the Year published in the field of medical sciences. This time it was Colonel Profesor, Dr. Dino Tarabar awarded for his textbook "Inflammatory Bowel Diseases" in the field of gastroenterology. In the further course of the ceremony, on the occasion of the forthcoming anniversary, the book titled "Military Medical Services in the Balkan wars" by Dr. Alexander Nedok was promoted.

Marking the Day of the Military Medical Services is linked to the 30th of July 1839, when by the Constitution of the Principality of Serbia, and the Decree on the Establishment of the Garrison Army, Dr. Emmerich Lindenmajer was the first doctor to be appointed to the  position of Surgeon General in the Main Headquarters.

The Military Health Servicea has grown into a modern and functionally well-organized at all three levels - primary (medical squads of the Serbian AF units), secondary (the Nis Military Hospital, the Belgrade Center of Military Medical Facilities, and the Military Medical Center in Novi Sad) and the tertiary level (the Military Medical Academy - MMA).