State Secretary of Health Nevena Karanovic, German Ambassador to Serbia Wolfram Maas and Nis Mayor Milos Simonovic opened a Fresenius Medical Care special hospital for haemodialysis in Nis.

Karanovic said that over 15,000 patients throughout Serbia are treated for kidney disorders every year, of which number 4,500 are patients in need of haemodialysis.

She noted that the capacity of 57 state health institutions are insufficient, adding that five newly opened Fresenius centres will greatly facilitate the treatment of these patients.

Karanovic announced that at the session on Thursday, the government will debate a kidney disease control programme and the development of a programme of haemodialysis and transplantation, which will enable Serbia to adopt standards in this remit in line with those of the EU.

There are currently 300 patients receiving haemodialysis in Nis and the capacity of the new hospital is 100 patients in two shifts.

Maas announced that Germany will ratify the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with Serbia this week, adding that Serbia is on the path to modernisation and integration into all European structures.

Serbia is not alone on this path of challenges, he said, adding that the economic cooperation between their countries is improving and that Fresenius’ investment in haemodialysis equipment alone exceeds €3 million.

The haemodialysis hospital in Nis is part of the Serbian health insurance system. It has 32 haemodialysis apparatuses and it spans 1,226 square metres.