2009 SU Update: Top Quality Health Services

Organizers of the Universiade Belgrade 2009, the Ministry of Health Care, the Military Hospital and the “Nikola Tesla” Airport are ready for the arrival of over 10,000 athletes that are to take part in this year’s largest sports event.

The Government of Serbia Coordination Team, consisting of 13 ministers and the Ministry of Health Care Work Group has drawn an action plan to prevent the appearance of the new flu in Serbia.

‘The Universiade will host participants from 140 states. The athletes will be accompanied by coaches and judges, numerous sport officials, journalists, and spectators will be present. We expect to have between 20,000 and 30,000 foreign guests in Serbia during the Universiade. That might bring about the import of the new flu. We have already undertaken all the measures as per WHO recommendations. We have formed specialized work groups for preparing the action plan in case of a pandemic. The Republic of Serbia Commission for protection of citizens from infectious diseases is preparing the definitive proposal for the Health Minister’, the Assistant Health Minister for sanitary supervision, Svetlana Mijatovic said at today’s press conference. Some of the procedures relate to the arrival of athletes and delegations at the Universiade.

One of the procedures for preventing the spreading of the flu is the recommendation that teams should be under close medical observation for seven days before leaving for Serbia. They should be issued with a document stating that they are healthy, and that their health has been unchanged during the previous seven days, therefore, they are not ill. This statement is to be handed over to Serbian officials at the “Nikola Tesla” Airport.
Talking about the Health Services in Serbia, Dr Svetlana Mijatovis said: ‘Different Health Services will be constantly in touch during the Universiade. I refer especially to medical personnel accompanying teams. They will be working with Serbian Health Services, i.e. representatives of the Military Hospital, the hospital that will provide the Universiade with medical assistance. They will be in contact with civilian health services that are already in the state of alert. In case one of the athletes is suspected of having the new flu, he/she will be put in isolation, all the necessary examinations will be carried out and he/she will get results in only six hours.’

Representatives of the Military Hospital will take care of the health of the Universiade organizers and participants. ‘We are working intensively on the action plan. At present, we are supplying the policlinic in the Universiade Village with the necessary medical materials. The policlinic will be open 24/7. It is exactly the same as the emergency center at the Military Hospital. Besides that, at every field of play there will be a medical team present’, Dr Zortan Hajdukovic from the Military Hospital said.

A laboratory, physical medicine unit, surgeons, orthopedists and ophthalmologists will be available in the Universiade Village polyclinic. ‘As part of the polyclinic, there will be a day clinic for temporary hospitalization of patients. It will be open 24/7. When necessary, its patients will be transported to the Military Hospital. We have formed medical teams able to fulfill all medical needs of the Universiade Belgrade 2009 organizers and participants’, the Military Hospital representative, Dr Zoran Hajdukovic said.

The “Nikola Tesla” Airport personnel are ready for the record number of the Universiade participants. ‘We are an institution that provides border sanitary inspection with infrastructure and logistic support. All the necessary protective measures are prepared. We have enough protective masks for all our employees, and in case it becomes necessary, we are ready to take the required steps immediately’, the “Nikola Tesla” Airport deputy CEO, Dr Velimir Radosavljevic said.

Last year, the “Nikola Tesla” Airport received a record number of passengers in one day, 13,000 of them. ‘We expect that during the Universiade and immediately after it, we will break this record. During that period we will have, besides regular flights, a great number of charter flights. We are well aware of the responsibility – we will be in the front line. We have regular meetings with the Universiade Organizing Committee and the border police. We are ready’, Dr. Velimir Radosavljevic said.
The Universiade, together with UNICEF, The Health Ministry and WHO, has begun the campaign “Protect Yourself from the Flu.” During the campaign, the citizens of Serbia will be informed about the new flu – how it is transmitted, what protective measures are efficient and what to do when one is infected.