22.08.2014.
The great heart of Sabac ambulance workers
The Healthcare Department of the 1st Pontoon Battalion of the River Flotilla in Sabac takes in around 2,500 patients from the territory of Macva a year at the primary level of healthcare services. With two doctors’, one dentist’s office, nursery, laboratory, pharmacy, stationary and isolator of 16 beds capacity, the garrison healthcare center in Sabac can also be characterized as a small hospital.The staff includes Liutenant Nikola Pesic, doctor and the Department’s Commander, Liutenant Marinela Knezevic, M.D, doctor, Major Ljubisa Vasic, dentist and medical technicians: Staff Sergeant 1st class Dalibor Pasic, Staff Sergeant Milos Stojanovic and military employee Mileta Gligoric, lab technician. Every week, they take care of around 350 patients.
According to Liutenant Pesic, they have over 110 patients a day during busiest days, although the optimal number would be around 30 patients per a doctor’s office.
Healthcare services at the Sabac Healthcare Center is depended on by users of military insurance of eight Sabac municipalities of Sabac, Koceljeva, Vladimirci, Bogatic, Krupanj, Loznica, Mali Zvornik and Ljubovija, at a distance of around 110 kilometers, so the ambulance is always on the go. Of all the motorized vehicles at the Riverine Flotilla, last year, it passed the most kilometers, without a single traffic violation, certainly thanks to the driver, professional soldier Slavko Nesic.
The small pharmacy is supplied exceptionally well, so almost 80% of prescribed medications and sanitary material are issued here. The insured don’t have to take many medications at civilian pharmacies, thus avoiding additional costs.
Although the dentist’s office, possessing standard equipment, is not sufficiently supplied with necessary material, Major Vasic claims that they try to help everyone in need.
During the recent disastrous floods, Liutenant Marinela Knezevic, heading the ambulance team, was on call 24/7. Following the epidemic situation and visiting members of the Armed Forces deployed in flooded regions were everyday tasks, about which she says:
- It was the best test of capability of the Emergency Situations Department, and we have passed it with great success.
