12.06.2022.
Joint statement by Head of Military Health Department and Head of Military Medical Academy
Joint statement by Head of Military Health Department and Head of Military Medical Academy
“It is difficult to remain silent regarding a series of fabrications about the Military Medical Academy that certain media spread without shame. We will not remain silent, because the military doctors and medical staff, who work hard at the Military Medical Academy every day, fighting for patients’ health, do not deserve such belittling.
The authors of shameful claims that the military was once trusted by the people and that it collapsed a long time ago, and that the same goes for the Military Medical Academy, which, according to them, is known for nothing but problems and scandals, should ask the people about it. They would discover that the military is still the most trusted institution among the people, and the patients’ trust in the Military Medical Academy would expose their fabrications. As for their source - an allegedly worried surgeon from the Military Medical Academy, one must wonder what kind of military doctor claims that "Serbia has not had a military for a long time and should therefore immediately determine what the purpose of the Military Medical Academy is." We are accustomed to the Serbian Armed Forces being the source of annoyance for many, but the question is what kind of a military surgeon is he?
The waiting lists that those media write so pompously about, are inevitable in all health institutions in our country and worldwide, and the same applies to the Military Medical Academy, an institution primarily intended for the treatment of military insured, which is obviously not clear to certain people. Let us remind the "surgeon", that there are more than 30,000 military insured on the territory of Belgrade alone. In addition, the Military Medical Academy manages to take care of both the military insured and a huge number of civilians and help everyone.
However, it is normal that due to intense pressure to provide care to the most seriously ill patients, performing general health check-ups cannot be the priority for an institution such as the Military Medical Academy, and that is exactly why waiting lists for basic examinations are made. But this is not the case only at the Military Medical Academy, but in all other health institutions. Medical emergencies, traumatic injuries, top-notch surgeries, such as transplants, and malignancies are given priority at the Military Medical Academy.
The Military Medical Academy carried a great deal of burden during the Covid crisis. From March 2020 until Covid restrictions eased last month, it was on duty 24 hours a day, for both the military and civilians. In 2021, the Military Medical Academy examined 200,018 military and 180,362 civilians, which shows the maliciousness of allegations that it does not treat civilians. 5,812 military and 18,927 civilians received hospital treatment, 19,883 operations were performed and 2,612,076 laboratory analyses were performed. The most critically ill patients who cannot or do not want to be treated at civilian health institutions and private clinics do not have the space or staff to treat such serious conditions which require interdisciplinary care, are still referred to the MMA Emergency Centre on Wednesdays and every other day. This institution has taken care of 14,381 military and 64,544 civilians and the most severe cases have stayed at the hospital for treatment. During the first six months of 2022, 25,921 patients were examined at the MMA Emergency Centre - 6,709 military insured and 19,212 civilians, whereas 79,903 interventions were performed at the MMA Polyclinic. All this speaks volumes about the trust that the Military Medical Academy enjoys among the citizens.
The Military Medical Academy was and remains a seed-plot of the greatest and best experts in their fields, who have built their careers around the world, speaking proudly about their internship, residency and employment at the Military Medical Academy. The outflow of staff from the MMA is inevitable, as is the case with other health care institutions, but this institution is still made up of top experts, such as professors Zoran Hajduković, Radoje Doder, Nenad Perišić, Toplica Lepić, Ranko Raičević, Predrag Aleksić, Srboljub Stošić, Aleksandar Tomić, Darko Mirković, Boško Milev and many others. Doctors of their calibre have not left our institution, particularly not at times when their attitude towards the profession they have chosen and their patriotism came to the fore. Those who have left but still call themselves MMA doctors, while building careers in the private sector, show who they really are. It is sad that they should speak badly about the Military Medical Academy.
And we will continue to invest in the functioning and development of the Military Medical Academy. Over the past year, hundreds of doctors and other medical workers have been employed, and we are proud of that. Also, capital investments in the infrastructure of this military institution are being prepared. Despite various fabrications, the MMA will remain a military hospital, just as it has been since its founding until today, and we leave it to them to imagine that Serbia does not have a military."
Head of the Military Health Department Brigadier General Dr. Radivoje Anđelković
Head of the Military Medical Academy Colonel Dr. Miroslav Vukosavljević
