In a completely renovated and fully equipped area, in the presence of the President of the Republic Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, and his spouse, Ms. Maja Ivanova, today, the first specialized Children's Emergency Room in the country was opened, located in the University Clinic for Children's Diseases in Skopje.

The financial means for the reconstruction and adaptation of the premises within the Clinic were collected within the National Donor Campaign under the motto "Help on Time" which was implemented under the auspices of the Spouse of the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Ms. Maja Ivanova. The Emergency Room is constructed with the support of the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency - TIKA, while the additional donations will be used to equip the Emergency Room and the new hospital premises.

For the purposes of the new organizational unit, several construction operations were carried out, the premises were refurbished and the latest medical equipment is provided.

Ms. Ivanova, in her speech, said that as patron of the National Campaign she was enthusiastic, strongly inspired, and was mostly encouraged by the unreserved support of her husband, the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov.

"The Emergency Room will contribute greatly to the health services offered in our country for the children, especially for emergency cases, for the most necessary first aid provided by the medical staff. The urgent cases, as of today, will be treated in the Emergency Room, as it is practiced in many advanced countries with well-developed and highly efficient health care systems", Ms. Ivanova said.

She said that everyone has an obligation to make a personal contribution to the activities relating to the common good of our fellow citizens and society.

"These activities make us noble, venerable, humane and give light to our virtues and our values. Therefore, with vast desire and motivation I supported National Campaign as patron", Ms. Ivanova said and thanked all those who supported the campaign and made donations via the telephone number 14321, as well as the media which enabled the campaign to reach every citizen.

The Minister of Health, Mr. Nikola Todorov, said that the Children's Clinic must be fully equipped to meet all challenges in modern medicine. Therefore, a lot has been invested, windows have been changed, energy efficiency, increased standard of accommodation for children and toilets in every room, purchase of a new vehicle for neonatal pediatric transport, purchase of new medical equipment in the amount of more than 100 million MKD.

What we have today, said Minister Todorov, is an indication that there are alternative ways of investment in the Republic of Macedonia in the health care, that the principles of investing in health that apply in all developed countries are can also be implemented here, at a high level of social responsibility, including the highest authorities in the country, the embassies and citizens, which can result in improvements to the system. He added that this is one of the major reforms undertaken in the Macedonian health care system.

The Director of the Clinic, Dr. Aspazija Sofijanova, expressing satisfaction with the opening of the Children's Emergency Room, said that the initiative for its establishment was initially only a modest prospect supported and upgraded by its closest associates and advisers.

The wife of the US Ambassador, Ms. Mary Joe Wohlers, noted that the expert care and compassion of the medical staff of the Emergency Room will save many of the lives of some 20,000 children, expected to visit it next year.

Mr. Mehmet Sureyya Er, Vice President of the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency – TIKA, said that the adaptation and reconstruction works implemented by this Agency were completed in only 60 days.

"The Emergency Room Project" included complete reconstruction, adaptation, medical gases, thermal equipment, electrical installations, medical equipment and fully furnishing", Mr. Sureyya Er said, adding that it is a gift of the Republic of Turkey to the Republic of Macedonia.

He emphasized that the Emergency Room, with the best and highest quality standard of operation, will offer good conditions.

The Turkish Ambassador, Mr. Gurol Sokmensuer, wished healthy future for the children in the Clinic and pointed to the willingness of the Republic of Turkey to always support, as he said, the friendly and brotherly Republic of Macedonia.

The Specialized Children's Emergency Room has four main and two extra beds, covers six areas of specialist clinics, a laboratory and a waiting room. The clinics will cover the fields of neonatology, cardiology, hemato-oncology, endocrinology, gastroenterology and nephrology.