DODIK: IN NEW ONCOLOGY FACILITY, THE FIGHT WILL BE FOUGHT FOR EVERY DAY OF PATIENTS’ LIVES

BANJA LUKA, FEBRUARY 13 /SRNA/ - In the newly built oncology and hematology facility with palliative care at the University Clinical Center of Republika Srpska, the fight will be fought for every day of patients’ lives, patients who would be far fewer had there been no NATO bombing, especially fewer children, said SNSD leader Milorad Dodik, announcing further investments.

“This is another of our victories, one that will remain for generations to come, and it also honors those who wished for this facility. The best equipment has been installed here,” Dodik said at the ceremonial opening of the new building at Paprikovac. He emphasized that this was financed with funds from the Government of Republika Srpska and the people, without borrowing, and thanked everyone who took part in the project. Dodik expressed his gratitude to all healthcare workers in Republika Srpska, for whom he announced a salary increase. “We will increase salaries in the healthcare sector by five percent in April, and as of July 1, a special medical allowance of BAM 250 will be added linearly to the salaries of all medical workers,” Dodik said. He announced an investment of 75 million Euros at Paprikovac, where a campus will be built and all clinics, especially maternity wards, will be renovated, adding that construction will begin this year. “With this, we want to complete the complex, to have a secondary school and a university there. We have never given up on pushing toward that goal, and I am confident that we will finish it,” Dodik emphasized. He pointed to the good cooperation with the acting director of the University Clinical Center, Nikola Šobot, who, he said, would continue to lead this healthcare institution. Dodik also said that all of this is proof of the generation he led, which built hospitals in Doboj, Trebinje, Nevesinje, and Bijeljina, renovated hospitals in Zvornik and Gradiška, and added that it remains to do the same in Prijedor. “It remains for us to fight for the living standards of medical workers, but also in local communities,” Dodik stated. In his address, he emphasized that the leadership of Republika Srpska has shown that it does not give up on its primary goals and on the vision of what Republika Srpska should look like in ten years. He stressed that it must be autonomous, that its Dayton competencies should be restored, and that the importance of unity and gathering together should not be overlooked. “We must have strong policies,” said Dodik, emphasizing that nothing can be achieved without successful and strong political leadership. Dodik stated that cooperation with Serbia will continue, which, as he stressed, was at its best under the leadership of President Aleksandar Vučić, adding that this cooperation will carry on.