The director of the North Mitrovica Hospital Center, Dr. Zlatan Elek assessed the current health situation in the Serb-majority areas as „quite complicated and worrying.“ Elek, however, also stressed that the situation is under control. A total of 161 patients are currently hospitalized in the North Mitrovica Hospital Center, 68 of which are COVID-19 patients.
Elek’s announcements arrive during the first official visit to Kosovo of the newly appointed head of the Kosovo Office, Petar Petkovic. Petkovic started his official two-day stay by visiting the hospital center.
Since the last coronavirus update, one patient died and out of a total of 39 tested samples, 15 patients tested positive for coronavirus in the Kosovo Serb-majority municipalities.
A total of 62 patients have died so far.
There is no need to panic, the situation is under control – Elek emphasized.
The recently opened PCR laboratory has made it possible to perform coronavirus testing in North Mitrovica and to do it much faster and with a larger scope.
The very same day the patient is examined, he is tested and the test results arrive quickly. The patient is hospitalized if necessary, Elek explained.
Although about one hundred health workers are currently infected with the coronavirus, including doctors and technical staff, the hospital center is not understaffed, he added.
According to Elek, health workers in Kosovo Serb communities are especially motivated by satisfactory earnings, which have increased as much as 60% in the past two years.
Also, the hiring process of new medical staff is underway. According to the head of the Kosovo Office, Petar Petkovic, job openings for 70 doctors and 200 nurses, as well as for 45 doctors and over 83 nurses subsequently, have been approved in Serb-majority areas. A new staff nurse vacancy (for a total of 38 nurses) has now been announced.
Elek also revealed that new emergency vehicles would be procured.
„Today’s visit instills additional confidence that Serbia will remain with us and that it is with us,“ Elek said after welcoming Petkovic, adding that this is also backed up by the fact Petkovic chose the hospital center as the first stop of his first official visit in the capacity of the new head of the Kosovo Office.
On the other hand, Petkovic underlined: „Indeed, if someone can be called a hero in the 21st century – it would be you. That is why you have my deep respect. The state of Serbia will know to repay you for everything you have done and are doing.“
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
