Member companies of American Chamber of Commerce in Serbia have met with the Minister of Health in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Tomica Milosavljević, to exchange opinions on the process of improving the healthcare system in Serbia.

The parties have agreed that significant progress has been achieved in regard to the healthcare system reform in the country. Stronger cooperation with the private sector in the area of constant implementation of the recently adopted regulations, and introduction of new ones has been agreed as well.

The meeting participants have agreed that open dialogue between the private sector and the Government of the Republic of Serbia is a prerequisite for maintaining the existing level of the healthcare system and attracting new investments, in the aim of increasing the citizens’ confidence in the healthcare system.

“Being the largest voluntary association that gathers American, foreign and domestic investors, AmCham believes that having a stable healthcare system is beneficial for the economy and the society as a whole.

Therefore we encourage both private and public sector to join forces on specific health care projects for improvement of the general population’s health. Furthermore, we offer our assistance and expert knowledge of our members in implementing EU directives, especially concerning increase of transparency in the health care system, as well as fostering public private partnerships between state and private sector,” said Skip Bornhuetter, President of American Chamber of Commerce in Belgrade.

“The healthcare system in the Republic of Serbia is encountering challenges and risks which are common for most developing countries: strengthening of the health potential of the nation, financial sustainability, proper approach to the health service, demographic trends, increase of mass non-infectious diseases, focus on patients as central to healthcare.

Such a situation requires new and different responses, which are to be reached through reform processes, in accordance with circumstances and needs of the citizens of Serbia. The healthcare system reform in Serbia should lead to improvements of the health of the population, reduced costs through increasing effectiveness of providing healthcare services, and expanding an option of choice both for healthcare service users and providers.

Therefore, investment into healthcare is an investment into the sustainable economic growth of the country,“ underlined Tomica Milosavljević, Minister of Health in the Government of the Republic of Serbia.

American Chamber of Commerce in Serbia founded the Health-Care Task Force established in February, 2009, involving representatives from the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries as well as insurance and health-services providers.

The group aims to establish constructive dialogue with the Ministry of Health and related institutions to promote and develop private sector contributions to improvements in the health-care system in Serbia.