During our October 2016 trip to Serbia, we visited Užice General Hospital. This institution is government funded and is the fourth largest hospital in Serbia, serving about 350,000 people in the Zlatibor district. We met with Dr. Aleksandra Vračarić, then deputy director of the Užice Health Center (and hospital) and Dr. Dara Savić-Bozović, head of the Pediatrics and Neonatology Department. The radiology department performed 16,138 examinations. Unfortunately, the hospital does not have the financial means to purchase a new ultrasound machine, which costs approximately $25,000. Also, the hospital did not have a defibrillator on the Pediatrics and Neonatology intensive care wards. This has become a very worrisome situation that has limited the delivery of health services to about 350,000 inhabitants of the Zlatibor district.
On March 27th, a new Nihon-Kohden TEC5631 defibrillator was successfully delivered. Several months later, October 2nd, 2017, SAMA representatives Dr. Ivan Aksentijevich, Mr. Branko Palikuća and Mr. Zoran Mladenović visited the Užice Hospital to officially deliver a Mindray DC-70 Ultrasound system, which was installed in a fully repainted/refloored room (also part of our donation).
The funds for this project were collected during the Chicago Fundraiser in May 2017, sponsored by Mr. Palikuća at his restaurant Amber Café in Chicago.
After receiving the equipment, Dr. Aleksandra Vračarić, former deputy General Manager of the HC Užice said: “Nemam reči da se zahvalim gospodinu Palikući (već sam kontaktirala sa njim posle donatorske večere) i Vašoj organizaciji, kao i svim donatorima na velikoj pomoći našoj ustanovi.” (I have no words to express our gratitude to Mr. Palikuća, your organization, and all the donors for this donation to our Hospital.”).
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