MEMORANDUM PROMOTING COOPERATION SIGNED

BANJA LUKA, APRIL 9 /SRNA/ - An agreement on cooperation between the University Clinical Centre /UCC/ of Republika Srpska and the Minsk Scientific and Practical Center for Surgery, Transplantology and Hematology from Belarus was signed today in Banja Luka, which will improve the care of patients in the field of surgery, transplantology, hematology and intensive care medicine.

The agreement was signed by Srpska UCC director Vlado Đajić and the director of the Centre from Belarus Oleg Rummo. Đajić said that the Belarusian centre is one of the best transplantation centres in Europe, and noted that 23 patients from Republika Srpska have been operated in that health facility in Minsk so far. "This is great news for all our patients who are waiting for kidney and other organ transplants. We have agreed to increase the number of our patients who will undergo surgery in this center," Đajić told the press after signing the Agreement. He added that the Agreement will contribute to the exchange of experiences and knowledge, as well as of health workers. Rummo said that today's visit by the Minsk delegation represents the continuation of the cooperation agreed in 2020 between Republika Srpska and Belarus, when support and assistance in the field of high-tech transplants was agreed upon. "Since then, more than 20 patients underwent transplant surgery in Belarus who are the best confirmation of good Srpska - Belarus relations," said Rumo. He also stated that the recent meeting between the presidents of Republika Srpska and Belarus, Milorad Dodik and Aleksandr Lukashenko, gave a new, strong impetus to the further development of those relations. Rummo also expressed his satisfaction over modernly equipped health facility that he saw during his visit to the Republika Srpska UCC, where educated and highly specialized experts work. The Minister of Health and Social Welfare of Republika Srpska Alen Šeranić said there was also talk at today's meeting of ways to speed up and simplify procedures for referring patients to Belarus. "The next important step is to see what are UCC's possibilities to do pre and post-transplant examinations, so that we can enable patients to go to Belarus as soon as possible," said Šeranić. Radomir Rakić, a patient who had a kidney transplant in Belarus seven months ago, said that he has only good impressions from that country. "I was on dialysis for 12 years and I didn't have great opportunities for transplant, but thanks to the Srpska - Belarus cooperation, I got a chance for a better life," Rakić said. The meeting was attended by the honorary consul of Belarus in BiH Nedeljko Elek and the ambassador of Belarus in BiH Uladzimir Ulakhovich.