08.07.2020.

Minister Vulin in Sjenica: As long as there is a risk of infection, the Serbian Armed Forces will be there to help Sjenica, Tutin and Novi Pazar

Today, the Minister of Defence, Aleksandar Vulin visited the members of the Military Health Department and CBRN units of the Serbian Armed Forces in Sjenica that are engaged in the fight against Covid-19 disease in that town.

As Minister Vulin pointed out after the visit and talks, carrying out the order of the Supreme Commander, Aleksandar Vučić, the Serbian Armed Forces have made every effort to help the citizens of Sjenica – a reception ward has been set up in a tent, the town is being disinfected, during the day an appropriate ward will be completed which will be turned into Covid hospital.

- We have brought doctors to help the hospital in terms of staff. There are enough drugs, medical materials, and protective equipment – enough of everything that is needed. It is essential now to organize things well, to separate Covid from non-Covid patients, to enable the doctors, nurses and medical staff in Sjenica to get some rest and to carry out disinfection. The most important thing that people should know is that the state and the armed forces take care, and that we will be here as long as necessary. As long as there is a risk of infection, the Serbian Armed Forces will be there to help Sjenica, Tutin and Novi Pazar. The army is there to provide everything that is needed, we are here to help every citizen of this country and to make everyone feel safe and sound, and of course, to make sure there are as many healthy people as possible – said the Minister of Defence.

Expressing gratitude to the Serbian Armed Forces, the President of the Municipality of Sjenica, Hazbo Mujović, pointed out that today doctors arrived who were much needed because the hospital in Sjenica has everything it needs, from medical supplies to disinfectants, but the medical staff who work there are exhausted.

- Many of them are infected and, we can say, unable to work. We need that at the moment, considering the large number of patients who are undergoing home treatment, who are being treated here or who have been transported to the surrounding cities, Novi Pazar and Užice. When it comes to cooperation with the armed forces, several doctors from the Military Medical Academy arrived today, and since they come from the Military Medical Academy, there is no doubt that they are top experts and top doctors, which gives us confidence that things will start to look up and that together we will manage to beat this disease by the end of the month - Mujović emphasized, adding that the Serbian Armed Forces responded swiftly and efficiently at this difficult time for all the citizens of Sjenica.

Lieutenant Colonel Petar Ristić, MD, the deputy commander of the military hospital in Novi Pazar, pointed out that the military doctors came to Sjenica to help as much as they can.

-We came to assess the situation and help our colleagues who are fighting heroically. We decided to create adequate zones for the movement of doctors and patients and to have a reception-triage ward established where we will be able to sort patients, a separate facility where all Covid patients will be treated and an inpatient section where patients from the main building of the Health Centre will be evacuated – emphasized Lieutenant Ristić, adding that one such Covid hospital will be able to provide medical care to the residents of this area, as well as a safe treatment of Covid patients in the adjacent facility.

He particularly emphasized a very good cooperation with fellow doctors in Sjenica and that they were very well received by the citizens of Sjenica, expressing belief that the assigned task will be successfully completed.

According to the Deputy Director of the Health Centre in Sjenica, Dr. Fuad Ćatović, about 2,000 patients have been examined so far.

- There are patients with severe clinical presentations and inflammation of both lungs. There are 70-80 per cent of them. It is important that the members of the Serbian Armed Forces are helping us establish a Covid hospital where we will accommodate patients, at least temporarily until they are referred to larger Covid hospitals, if their clinical presentation requires it, or the patients returning from Covid hospitals, so that we can treat them for a few more days until conditions for their discharge are met – said Dr. Ćatović and thanked the Serbian Armed Forces with which “they have excellent cooperation” – he says.

Head of the Military Health Department, Major General Uglješa Jovičić and the representatives of local self-government also visited the members of the Military Health Department and CBRN units of the Serbian Armed Forces in Sjenica.