02.03.2011.
Marking the MMA Day with the opening of the Center for Hyperbaric Medicine
With series of ceremonies 167 years of existence of the Military Medical Academy were marked today . On that occasion, Defence Minister Dragan Sutanovac opened the Center for Hyperbaric Medicine, the first of its kind in the military hospitals in the country.
Besides the hoists of the ceremony, the Rector of the University of Defence Major General prof. Dr Miodrag Jevtic and MMA Colonel Chief Professor. Dr. Marijan Novakovic, the ceremony was also attended by and the SAF CHOD General Miloje Miletic, the representatives of the Ministry of Defense and the Army of Serbia, of religious communities, public figures and cultural life and many other guests. - The Center for Hyperbaric Medicine, which is being launched on this occasion is a center which has not existed so far in the MMA and the military hospitals in the country. He will serve for rehabilitation and recovery, and will be available to both military personnel and civilians, and it will have a commercial function. The center is equipped with the state of the art technology, and equipment costing 70 million RSD- said Sutanovac after opening the Centre, expressing confidence that this investment is one of the most significant in a series of investments made in recent years, thanks to which the MMA and the diagnosis and treatment restored the MMA as one of the top hospitals in the region. The minister also expressed the hope that it will continue this way and that the MMA would become the best military, and civilian hospital in the Balkans.
At the formal academy on the occasion of 167 years of the MMA, Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac first congratulated the holiday to all employees and praised the impressive results they had achieved in the previous year. “I'm particularly pleased that we have today opened the Center for hyperbaric treatment and proved our commitment which we spoke of in recent years, and this is the continuation of the technical renovation and modernization of the MMA. After purchasing a multislice scanner, digital mammography, Egzeiner lasers, a new MRI, and after opening the hyperbaric chamber, I want to assure you that this is just the beginning. It is our wish to make the MMA the best hospital in the region, and I think we have the capacity to do so.
From the position of the minister of defense, I have been at for the past four years, I can testify that from China to the United States, from Angola and Namibia to Norway, there is no country with we cooperate with that has not expressed the desire to cooperate in the field of military medicine and precisely with our MMA. And that is a great recognition.
The Minister said that the year was marked by our participation in peacekeeping operations. The Members of the MMA and other hospitals that are part of the Ministry of Defense, conducted their duties in UNH missions in Congo and Chad, doing their country and our defense system proud. This proved that we are responsible for the health of not only our citizens but also for the broader needs of society.
- We have very good cooperation with sports associations and the signing of the Protocol with the Olympic Committee suggests that such an important sporting institution has the greatest confidence in our hospital, said the minister.
Speaking of the future tasks, Sutanovac said that not once have we agreed to do something without fulfilling our obligations, or that we talked about a project but failed to start it.
We want to continue with the technological renovation of the MMA, and not just MMA. As Minister of Defense I refuse to separate it from other two military hospitals in Nis and Novi Sad and I think they need to thrive as well, and thus relieve this hospital and enable the military health insurance holders to have adequate treatment in those cities as well.
-
We want to continue with the introduction of modern methods of treatment, we believe that we have the capacity for telemedicine, and there are a number of those who have expressed a desire to connect to our hospital. Also, we want to connect with the world. Our desire is to enhance the general medical profession and improve the staff. There is a high capacity and the fact that the defense university has been established, with General Jevtic appointed as the rector of the university prves that it is our commitment to be better and better. We also wish to strengthen the position of the MMA in the health system of Serbia. Not all were glad when we founded the University of Defence, nor is everyone happy with the opening of the hyperbaric chamber, or with the achievements of the Military Academy. But it is our wish to be better and our victory will be complete, if we can say that we are at least better than some. We will be winners if we are better than the rest, "the minister said, stressing the need for cooperation, especially with the Clinical Center of Serbia and the Republic Institute for Health Insurance. Furthermore in his address, Sutanovac stressed the importance of raising the quality of health care, primarily of the military insurance holders, but of the civilians as well, to the highest standards. “We believe that we can follow the trend that exists in the world and that we will not boast that our policyholders can be sent to get operated abroad, or that we have the possibility to send them to some other centers, but rather that we have the capacity to treat them here and to bring experts from abroad, who will work with our staff to perform even the most complex operations. At the end of his expose, minister Sutanovac noted that after four years as minister, almost everything has changed.
-
We've managed to improve ourselves and achieved results in all areas. I am aware that it could be better but if you look at the state we found four years ago, the attitude of the civilian population towards the military health care, you can say that these four years were extremely successful, and last year will be recorded as one of the best years of our military medicine, said the Minister wishing success to the newly appointed Chief of MMA , Colonel, Marijan Novakovic, MD, prof., wished promising him the full support of the Ministry of Defence. Major General Miodrag Jevtic,MD, professor, former chief of the MMA and the first Rector of the University of Defence, stressed the importance of continuity in the work of the MMA, which he called "the Balkan capital of Sciences and the temple of Serbian medicine. He pointed out that the secret of success of the MMA were its staff member, all employees, specialists, nurses all outstandingly dedicated to the institution and teamwork. Such a Military Medical Academy, said Jevtic,is in the service of man, health and the country, keeping up the pace with the world, with the latest achievements in medicine and science, by performing our military’s missions and building bridges of cooperation.
General Jevtic singled out several major results achieved in the previous year. The medical services were up by 15 percent. Since 3 March last year, the MMA became an on call ER for all emergencies on Wednesdays. A number of new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, conforming to ISO standards were introduced. The year was marked with a record number of transplants of liver, kidney, bone marrow and stem cells in Serbia, while technological system was renovated with the new Center for Hyperbaric Medicine, a 128 slice scanner, an angio room, and a complete monitoring of the internal surgical and intensive care units, including the renewal of the functional diagnosis of pulmonary medicine and gastroenterology.
General Jevtic reminded the present of the historical signing of an agreement on cooperation with all the deans of medical faculties in Serbia. Six doctors were sent to specialist studies abroad and the MMA educated 29 doctors from abroad. The Military Medical Academy has 62 scientific research tasks and 203 accredited programs. He concluded that the scientific and academic potential of the MMA has been completely revitalized, and the establishment of the University of Defense will certainly be a historic qualitative step in that direction. Welcoming the participants, the new chief of the MMA Colonel Marijan Novakovic, MD, professor said that in the long history of MMA its growth and development was uninterrupted in all areas of medicine, dentistry and pharmacy. There is an established continuity of positive energy that we need to cultivate in the future. This is confirmed by, as Colonel Novakovic stated, the results achieved, the treatment of several dozens of patients according to the highest standards of the world of medicine and science, by excellent results of research work and investment in the future of military medicine education second class of cadets of our Medical School, intensive international cooperation and communication talk about what kind of staff we have and what kind of knowledge and skills available.
Colonel Novakovic said that the MMA would remain committed to training the best personnel, to the technical and technological renewal and continuous organizational and formational training. Our goal, he stressed, is to continue to improve all the values which the general public has recognized as the hallmark of the MMA, thus proving that we are well known of the meaning of continuity, but that respecting and cherishing the right values and the results achieved are conditions for survival and progress. At today's formal academy on the occasion of the MMA Day, the Emergency Department of Internal Medicine was awarded as the best MMA ward, while the most renowned author of the Military Medical Review is professor Gordana Dedic, MD
New doctorate graduates were presented as well, colonels Uros Zoranovic and Nenad Ratkovic, Major Radoslav Romanovic and military officials Tamara Dragovic, Dragana Dakoviv, Krasimirka Grujic, Nadica Marinkovic and Svezana Djordjevic.
Members of the Academy of Science Djordje Radak nd Predrag Pesko as well as the retired colonel Dr Milica Petrovic received the medal "Dr. Vladan Djordjevic”.
MMA awarded its scrolls to the Serbian Medical Society, the Association of Military Pensioners, to Savski venac municipality and the media center “Odbrana”
On the occasion of the 167th anniversary , in front of the MMA, a bust of first Serbian chief war surgeon and professor. Dr. Mihailo Mika Petrovic was revealed.
ANSWERING REPORTER’S QUESTION
Asked by reporters, Sutanovac said that Serbia following the decision of the UN has suspended all military and economic cooperation with Libya. He added that none of the active or retired members of the Army of Serbia was participating in the events in Libya and expressed hope that the situation in that country would soon stabilize. The Minister recalled that the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian government had had good relations with Libya and expressed hope that the major projects that were started with that country would resume after the situation is stabilized. Sutanovac said the Defense Ministry is closely monitoring events in Libya and is rather concerned about the events in Libya.
The minister added that in Angola, as well as in Libya, there is a vested interest in building a military hospital – a sort of an the equivalent of MMA and that if the business is obtained, it would be a great opportunity not only for the defense industry and military medicine, but also for the construction industry of Serbia.
PHOTOGALLERY
