LALOVIĆ: BAM 30 MILLION BEING INVESTED IN MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

FOČA, SEPTEMBER 12 /SRNA/ – Foča University Hospital is currently undergoing its largest healthcare investment program since it was established, worth bam 48 million, Hospital Director Nenad Lalović stated today.

Lalović noted a BAM 26 million investment program was completed last year, while BAM 30 million from the new program has been earmarked for state-of-the-art medical equipment, including an MRI scanner, CT scanner and equipment for surgical and non-surgical specialties.

"Finally, patients from this region will no longer have to travel to other medical centres for MRI scans, as these examinations will be carried out at our hospital," Lalović told reporters after senior Republika Srpska officials visited the facility.

He said the Foča hospital would receive one of Siemens' most advanced MRI scanners, which is expected to be delivered within the next five months. There are currently only three such machines in BiH, he added.

The remainder of BAM 18 million will be invested in finishing construction works and upgrading the hospital grounds, including the construction of enclosed links connecting all buildings through above-ground and underground passageways.

"Once a patient enters the Emergency Centre, they will be able to reach the furthest building without having to go outside the hospital complex. This is particularly important in winter and during rain, as patients will not have to be transported across the hospital grounds," Lalović stressed.

He thanked the Republika Srpska Government for its support and understanding of the hospital's needs, stressing that the University Hospital was not only a healthcare institution but also an educational institution.

Lalović said the hospital was the main teaching base for the Faculty of Medicine in Foča, where around 3,000 students are currently studying in Serbian and about 700 international students from 38 countries are studying in English.

He added that the hospital also provides specialist training in all medical fields for the needs of Republika Srpska, while there has recently been growing interest in voluntary specialist training programmes from candidates from Serbia and Montenegro.

"We must keep pace with modern trends and continually improve our knowledge and skills, but we also need the necessary equipment to meet patients' needs, raise the standard of the healthcare system and provide students with the technical and educational support they require," Lalović said.

He announced that the hospital would not stagnate at current development, adding that work was currently underway on a proposal to amend the institution's statute with the aim of eventually transforming it into a university clinical center.

"We hope this proposal will demonstrate that we meet the requirements to soon become a university clinical center, which we believe is justified given our role as a teaching hospital," Lalović said.

He added that new departments and clinics would be needed to meet all the requirements, but that the ultimate goal was to provide high-quality healthcare for residents of eastern Republika Srpska.

"Even for those of us who are healthy, travelling for five or six hours can be difficult. Imagine someone who is ill, suffering from a serious disease, having to travel for five or six hours before undergoing examinations and treatment," Lalović accentuated.

He said the development of Foča University Hospital was also important for retaining young people and the wider population in the area, as well as for the overall development of Foča and neighboring municipalities that rely on the hospital.

"That is ultimately about ensuring that people remain and continue to live in this area," Lalović said.