14.04.2020.

Minister Vulin in Kruševac: Aleksandar Vučić did everything that was necessary; it is time for all of us to do the same

Today, the Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin, together with the Director of the Security Information Agency Bratislav Gašić and a delegation of doctors from the People's Republic of China, visited the Kruševac Sports Hall which is being converted into a temporary hospital, and will start admitting patients with a mild clinical presentation of Covid 19 as of next week.

Minister Vulin confirmed that, in accordance with the decisions of the Crisis Response Team of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, the Serbian Armed Forces have helped establish a temporary hospital in Kruševac.

- The Crisis Response Team decides where to bring not only the beds and bedding, but most importantly - doctors and all the staff without whom there can be no successful treatment, said the Minister and explained that the Serbian Armed Forces will be securing the facility’s exterior.

He stressed that the soldiers will be at the service of the citizens of Kruševac and all the patients accommodated there.

- Serbia is used to passing on to President Vučić everything that is difficult. Every difficult decision and every unpleasant situation is always passed on to Aleksandar Vučić. He did his share of work, provided respirators, money for doctors and nurses, increased their salaries and provided money for all these beds, bedding, mattresses, money for the military, the police, and the Security Information Agency, and he even managed to do the impossible - to provide thousands of respirators at a time when the world's greatest powers fight for each respirator. He also made sure that we received assistance from Russia and China. Aleksandar Vučić has done his share, and now it is up to all of us to see if we have done our share, whether we are following doctors’ advice and the advice of the Crisis Response Team, whether we respect curfew, whether we are pushing our luck and playing with our own health and the health of other people, Minister Vulin said, adding that it is time for all of us to take responsibility.

If this is not the case, no one can help us, said Minister Vulin, adding that "you can be as angry with Aleksandar Vučić as you want when he tells you the truth, that we must be patient and endure and obey the advice of doctors, but he is right“.

- We have heard lots of times - do not ask what the state can do for you, but what you can do for the state. Now there is a different motto – do not ask what can be done for your health, because the state has done everything it could do, but what have you done for your health and the health of your family? - said the Minister of Defence.

He thanked the Director of the Security and Information Agency for his great work and energy and for providing assistance, not only in Kruševac, but also in all the cities where something needed to be done.

- Without them, this would not function that easily, and I thank the citizens of Kruševac and our health care workers, without whose patience none of this would be possible. I have enough experience with hospitals like this, so please be kind to your doctors and nurses and do not make their lives difficult and make impossible demands. Don't take all your anger and frustration out on them, because it isn’t their fault, we will either win together or we will not succeed. Take care of them at least as much as they take care of you,” Minister Vulin told the citizens.

The Director of the Security and Information Agency, Bratislav Gašić, especially thanked the people from the Chinese delegation who have been helping throughout Serbia for four weeks and sharing their experiences with Serbian doctors in the fight against the vicious virus.

- Our Chinese friends show how great and strong the friendship between Serbia and China is. We also thank the Russian experts for showing a brotherly love for our people - said Bratislav Gašić, who especially thanked the Russian and Chinese security services, which have done a lot to fight the virus.

He added that the Sports Hall has been reorganized and is currently at the highest medical level and stressed that the beds were purchased with the money donated by the Association of Businessmen, the Crisis Management Team of the city of Kruševac provided cushions and bedding, and after the epidemic, the donated medical equipment will be donated to the Kruševac Hospital and the beds to the barracks in that city.

Colonel Rade Rnjaković, Commander of the Command for the Development of Rasina Brigade, and also the Commander of the Kruševac Garrison, confirmed that the members of this command, in accordance with their mission and tasks issued by the superior command and the demands and needs of the Crisis Management Team of the city of Kruševac, participated significantly in arranging the space intended for a Covid Hospital.

- Everything has been done to the best of standards, the way the military would like it to be every day. Other units in the Kruševac Garrison are currently securing a large number of hospitals in the city and neighbouring municipalities, as well as a large number of social institutions. They are also organized daily to distribute
disinfectant to about 200 locations in Kruševac, which, according to the colonel, is privileged because two CBRN units are located there, the CBRN Centre and the 246th CBRN Battalion “that are now engaged throughout the country in providing assistance, disinfecting cities and villages and creating conditions to destroy the viral infection," confirmed Colonel Rnjaković.

The leader of the Chinese team, Prof Lin Bing Liang, Deputy Head of the Infectious Diseases Clinic of the Third Affiliated Hospital of the Sun Yat-Sen University, pointed out that the epidemiological situation in Serbia is at a crucial stage.

- I think that we have undergone a very significant process over the last month and it is now clear to everyone that if at this crucial stage certain issues are not resolved, the situation can get out of control, and if we act properly and implement the prescribed measures, the situation will develop in the desired direction, Dr Lin Bing Liang confirmed.

He emphasized that, based on everything they have witnessed in Serbia so far, he believes that the epidemiological situation will develop in the right direction and added that the field hospital in Kruševac is very good in terms of the arrangement of rooms, equipment, areas for the movement of patients and health personnel. He also commended the fact that patients’ comfort and means of entertainment were also considered.

- Excellent preparations have been made and the hospital is fully prepared for the first patients with mild symptoms, the Chinese expert confirmed.
Covid Hospital in the Kruševac Sports Hall has a capacity of 130 beds.