15.04.2020.

Minister Vulin: The construction of a new hospital in Karaburma will be completed in six days

The construction of a new hospital intended for the treatment of patients infected with coronavirus will be completed in six days at the Karaburma Military Medical Centre, the Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin announced today after visiting the construction site.

- I want to share with you my happiness and pride in all these people. The "Termomont" company made us proud by showing that here, in Serbia, we are able to build such a facility in such a short time. There are six more days until the hospital is put into operation, and some of you remember that there was an abandoned warehouse here that could not and should not have been a hospital - Minister Vulin said, adding that “Termomont” and partners showed that Serbs can do anything they want when they unite, and when they know why they are working.

The 1,300 square meter facility which is fully reconstructed, renovated and equipped, will be able to accommodate 60 patients, said Minister Vulin, noting that the hospital will first treat Covid-19 patients, and later, when the epidemic is over, other patients.

- This hospital will remain here forever to be used by the citizens of Serbia. We will forever remember this help and these hardworking people. It is impossible to pay for this quality and speed of work - said the Minister of Defence, emphasizing that this should serve as an example to all the citizens of Serbia, because the assistance provided by “Termomont” was not their duty, nor was it expected.

If all the citizens of Serbia do what is good for them and only a bit more, we will successfully beat Covid-19 and in the future, Serbia will be a much better place, Minister Vulin says.

The Commander of the Karaburma Military Hospital, Lieutenant Colonel Ivo Udovičić, MD, says that until ten days ago, there was a ruin and a warehouse for reserve supplies where a new hospital is being built now.

- In a few days, there will be a modern hospital here which will not only treat patients with Covid-19 at this time, but will also be used for the treatment of patients with both civilian and military health insurance once we manage to beat this disease.

The current capacity of the new hospital is about 60 beds, but as Lieutenant Colonel Udovičić explains, the number of hospital beds will depend on the severity of patients’ illness, because if patients with a more severe clinical presentation require mechanical ventilation, fewer patients can be placed in one room.

The owner and Director of “Termomont”, Dejan Burčul, explains that by 21st April, the construction of the new hospital should be completed.

- Major construction work on the first floor has already been completed, and tonight cleaning and washing starts, and I think that we will finish the majority of work by Saturday. All the workers currently present, 120 of them, are working on the ground floor. Also, construction work is being done around the building and asphalt is being laid - said Burčul.

The State Secretary Bojan Jocić and Brigadier General Uglješa Jovičić, the Head of the Military Healthcare Department, also visited the construction of the new hospital today.

You can follow the progress of construction work live on the website of the Ministry of Defence (live stream) at the following link:
http://www.mod.gov.rs/cir/video/15851/prenos-uzivo-izgradnja-bolnice-na-vmc-karaburma-15851