27.12.2010.

Minister launches 128 multi-slice CT scan in MMA

In a ceremony held today at the MMA Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac put into operation a new 128-slice CT scan.

"While we will remember this year by the economic crisis, the defense system and military health care will be remembered as one of the most successful in the past decade," said Sutanovac, adding that the military hospital in Nis and Novi Sad are in function of civilian health care as well. Our peacekeepers, medical workers who work in these medical centers and the MMA have just returned from a successful peace mission in Chad.

"Since it was opened for civilians, the Military Medical Academy has seen major growth in admitting an increasing number of civilians, and this year we had about 20 thousand surgical interventions, and 100 thousand civilians were admitted in outpatient hospital. Furthermore, we performed 18 thousand operations, of including 13 very difficult and complicated liver transplants and 21 kidney transplants, Minister of Defense said..

Over the past year, the College of Military Health Care Institutions as he recalled enrolled a new generation of male and female cadets, who are expected to repeat their success and surpass the previous generation of military doctors. Furthermore, the MMA employed 141 young professionals last year alone, said the Minister.

"The reason for today's visit is the beginning of a multifunctional scanner, which is one of the top quality devices that MMA has, and apart from Novi Sad, Belgrade is the only center in Serbia and the region that possess such a machine. This device will help to diagnose diseases more quickly and shorten the waiting lists, "said Defence Minister on this occasion, adding that it is a device which use will repay itself in the future.

According to the Minister of Defence, during the previous year, the MMA has invested around 600 million RSD in this device which today begins its work and is 80 million RSD worth, which is the biggest investment this year. The minister, to begin next year, announced the commissioning of the hyperbaric chamber, which is also a very important and big investment.

The Head of the Military Medical Academy Major General Prof. Miodrag Jevtic said that today was a great day for the Military Medical Academy and the Ministry of Defence, because health is the most precious thing we have, and this is one of the devices that will help us to quickly and effectively act in its preservation.

The Institute of Radiology, the Military Medical Academy and the Serbian Health System as a whole, as of today, have been enriched with this latest generation device, whose use will significantly improve the quality, accuracy and speed of radiological diagnosis. This 21st century X-ray gives a very detailed and accurate images of soft tissues, blood vessels and bones and can make even 128 images of tissue, which with great accuracy enables performing high-quality radiology diagnostics and a thorough scan of the entire body within seconds.

The buying of this scanner means shorter waiting lists, as well as faster, more accurate and reliable diagnosis. It is estimated that 20 percent more patients can be scanned with this scanner than with the existing 64-slice CT scan scanner used on 11 000 patients annually.

During a visit to this institution, the Minister toured the Medical School of the Military Medical Academy and talked to the cadets of the first and second year.