Government Announces Urgent Construction of New Oncology Institute Building in Belgrade

After cardiovascular diseases, malignant diseases are the most common illnesses affecting Serbian citizens. Following a visit to the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, the prime minister and health minister announced that an initiative would urgently be launched to construct a new oncology building that will provide adequate capacity and conditions for treating patients.

The Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia in Pasterova Street in Belgrade operates 365 days a year. It is an institution that each of us has visited at least once - for an examination, therapy, or to visit an ill family member or friend. Although it treats a large number of patients, there is also tremendous dedication and commitment to those suffering from illness.

Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar notes that his conclusion, and he believes that of the prime minister and the director as well, is first and foremost that the employees - nurses, technicians, cleaners, doctors, professors and everyone working there - are putting up an extraordinary fight.

- They spend their working hours with people who are facing an enormous problem and who have only one wish, and that is to recover. They expect that wish to come true, and they expect the people working here to do everything in their power so that they are no longer ill - Loncar says.

The number of people suffering from malignant diseases in our country is increasing year after year. Unfortunately, the most serious illnesses do not discriminate by age, gender or status. This institution treats sick babies, children, young people and the elderly.

Loncar points out that they reviewed the figures for the first six months.

- Overall, we have recorded an 11.5% increase in the number of services provided, including surgeries, radiation treatments and chemotherapy. That is an enormous number of patients, and we are making a major effort to provide these services. As you can see, even though it is summer, the number remains the same throughout the year. Treatment modalities cannot be interrupted or postponed - Loncar says.

The health minister and prime minister visited the day hospitals, as well as the bunker housing one of eight radiation therapy machines, which uses a special technique to irradiate the entire body and prepare patients for bone marrow transplantation. Until two years ago, Serbian citizens had to travel abroad for this procedure. Following the visit, both the health minister and prime minister delivered the same message.

Loncar says his conclusion is that, as soon as they finish the visit, he will call President Vucic and ask him to urgently accelerate the procedure for the new oncology building.

- Because I think that, no matter how hard they try and work here, there is not enough capacity, nor will there be, because every day the number of people diagnosed with cancer and requiring treatment is increasing - Loncar says.

Prime Minister Djuro Macut says he believes conditions have improved over the past several years.

- But I am convinced that, in cooperation with the president, with the Government of Serbia working in a coordinated manner as a team, we will find a solution for Oncology 2. We also discussed staffing levels. We need to work on mid-level professional staff and motivate these people. We need to establish a certain stratification; it is not realistic for work at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels to be treated the same. They work three shifts and are exposed to high doses of radiation - Macut points out.

The Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia is the country's central oncology institution, one of the pillars of the healthcare system and one of the leading oncology centers in the region. It performs more than 200,000 specialist examinations annually. More than 20 operations are performed daily, while around 400 patients receive radiation therapy and around 300 receive chemotherapy every day.

Vlada Republike Srbije

Ministarstvo zdravlja Republike Srbije

Institut za onkologiju i radiologiju Srbije

Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia

Djuro Macut

Zlatibor Loncar