Serbia changes its mind, allows Bosnian doctors to help its Sandzak region

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Bosnian Ambassador to Serbia Aida Smajic told N1 that Serbia changed its mind and allowed Bosnian doctors to go to Novi Pazar in the south of that country, and help their colleagues in the fight against Covid-19.

“It's now up to our authorities to send the necessary licenses and documents to obtain the permit from Serbia so that the announced help consisting of medical teams could be implemented,” Ambassador Smajic confirmed.

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Bosnian Foreign Ministry notified Serbia on May 30 of its readiness to provide assistance and send two medical teams to Novi Pazar in the south of that country, which has been struggling with a high number of infections, both among the local population and medical staff, but Serbian authorities rejected this idea, saying they are fully capable of dealing with the disease on their own.

The readiness was also expressed by the Sarajevo Emergency Medical Hospital who said they would send three highly-skilled technicians and an emergency medicine specialist.

The sending of teams was announced earlier by the general manager of the Sarajevo University Clinical Centre (KCUS) Dr Sebija Izetbegovic, as well as Dr Vahid Jusufovic, the general manager of the Tuzla University Clinical Centre.

“The KCUS is reorganizing the team to help patients with Covid-19 and their colleagues in Sandzak because the situation in the Clinical Center has changed. The situation is now worse than it was seven days ago when we were ready to go” Dr Izetbegovic told N1.

Representatives of the Red Cross organisation from Bosnia's Federation (FBiH) entity have already sent their licenses and the necessary documentation to the Foreign Ministry for verification, adding that their team will consist of five medical technicians and three general practitioners.