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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Japanese government sets aside €9 million for Serbia's health sector

Belgrade, 8 April 2004

An official ceremony was held today at the Serbian Clinical Centre's Institute of Digestive System Diseases, marking the completion of a project of supplying leading medical centres in Serbia with equipment. The Japanese government funded the implementation of the project with around €9 million in non-repayable aid in the period between 2001 and 2004. Of this sum, €2.7 million was allocated to the Serbian Clinical Centre, which purchased 300 pieces of state-of-the art medical equipment.

As part of this project, the clinical centres in Novi Sad, Nis and Kragujevac also obtained new medical equipment.

Speaking at the ceremony, Japanese Ambassador to Serbia-Montenegro Ryuichi Tanabe voiced satisfaction with the fact that this equipment will contribute that all Serbian citizens have better medical treatment. He voiced hope that the Japanese aid will significantly improve the level of health care in Serbia, and contribute to strengthening of friendly ties between the two countries. He added that the Japanese government has so far set aside $68.5 million as economic aid to Serbia-Montenegro.

Serbian Minister of Health Tomica Milosavljevic said that Japan's aid is the first major step in the redefinition of the role of the Serbian Clinical Centre in Serbia's health system. He said that the Japanese help came when it was needed the most, stressing that people should not forget the fact that in winter 2000/2001 the health system was on its knees and that "we would not had survived that winter if there had been no substantial aid in medicines, energy products, oil…"

Milosavljevic said that funds have been set aside from the state budget for the purchase of 150 ambulance cars, 135 dialysis machine, around 100 anesthesia machines and as many endoscopes for diagnosis of the cancer of lungs and the digestive tract. The repair of 70 medical centre buildings will also be funded from the budget.

The Minister of Health stressed that 2.5 as much funds have been invested this year in the repair of medical centre buildings, including the Institute of Digestive System Diseases.

Serbian Minister of International Economic Relations Predrag Bubalo said at today's ceremony that Japan is Serbia's major donor, since it allocated $68.5 million in aid so far. He reiterated that apart from the health sector, Japan invested large sums in Serbia's agriculture, education and energy sectors, and that it carried out a number of minor projects from which the citizens benefited the most. He added that we should not forget that Japanese specialists provided technical assistance in many fields.

Today's ceremony was attended by First Secretary of the Japanese Embassy to Serbia-Montenegro Kazumasa Miyazaki, Advisor to the Ambassador and Medical Attache Yoshiharu Fujita, head of office of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency Keici Muraoka, Assistant Minister of Health Ivan Jovanovic and Director of the Serbian Clinical Centre Vojko Djukic. Princess and Prince Katarina and Aleksandar Karadjordjevic, who also assisted Serbia's health system in the previous period, were present at the ceremony.