Address by the President of the Republic of Srpska at the opening of the Second International Congress of HISPA entitled „Comprehensive approach to the protection of the heart and blood vessels – postcovid era“
Address by the President of the Republic of Srpska Željka Cvijanović at the opening of the Second International Congress of HISPA entitled „Comprehensive approach to the protection of the heart and blood vessels – postcovid era“:
Distinguished Ministers in the Government of the Republic of Srpska and Serbia,
Directors of health institutions,
Dear organisers and participants of the Congress,
Dear guests,
I am honoured to be invited to attend this important gathering. More than 700 participants from the region, Europe and the world testify to the seriousness of the congress itself, as well as the efforts of the organisers, thus I take this opportunity to congratulate you on this occasion.
And just as our doctors and health workers have always been with the citizens, it is the duty of institutions to support such events, because we can only work together to improve our health system.
I would like to express my gratitude and support for your work, activism and efforts to protect the health of our population.
In this regard, the last two years have been particularly difficult. The biggest burden of the coronavirus pandemic was borne by the health workers who fought day and night against a vicious, invisible enemy. Thus, as a society and a community, we give them special recognition and gratitude.
Although the Covid pandemic was the number one topic on the planetary level, many existing diseases continued to take their toll.
Cardiovascular diseases are still one of the leading ones, if not the most common cause of death in our country and in the entire world. The significance of these gatherings is even greater in the context of the exchange of knowledge and experiences on the prevention, modern diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.
In recent years and decades, medicine has theoretically and practically progressed at breakneck speed. Our goal is to keep pace with contemporary trends, both in terms of procurement of modern equipment and in the field of education and training.
In the previous period, we have achieved a lot in that area. During the last ten years, we have built, equipped and reconstructed several regional hospitals throughout the Republic of Srpska. By the end of the year, we expect the construction of a new hospital to be finalised in Doboj, which will be one of the most modern in the region.
Special attention is paid to the training of our medical workers. Significant contacts have been established with relevant health institutions in the world, within which our staff acquire specific knowledge and experience, which they then apply in our hospitals.
We have done a lot together, but we are aware that a lot of work is still ahead of us. The task of the institutions is to provide the best possible conditions for the health system to function, and this is an ongoing process that requires commitment and continuous investment.
At the very end, I would like to express my pleasure to be with you tonight. I am happy since Bijeljina and the Republic of Srpska are the hosts of such an important gathering.
I am convinced that the discussions will be constructive, and the conclusions of the congress itself will be useful and applicable in practice. I wish you a happy and successful work.
With great pleasure, I declare the Second International Congress of Cardiologists organised by HISPA open.
Thank you!
