Skopje, 25 January 2024 (MIA) - The newly constructed Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Unit at the University Hematology Clinic has been inaugurated on Thursday. The facility is equipped with modern medical equipment, allowing the treatment of 120 new patients annually.

It is located on a completely new floor with an area of 800 m2, and is a donation from the US Embassy, financially supported through the European Command of the US Army with €1 million for its construction. The remaining funds were secured by the Health Insurance Fund with support from the Ministry of Health and the Government.

Hematology Clinic director Irina Panovska Stavridis said that this is a regional Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Unit. In addition to providing services for the insured individuals of North Macedonia, the center has the capacity to treat patients from Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Albania - countries where these interventions are not yet available.

“This represents one of the most crucial investments in public health in recent years. The inauguration of the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Unit at our clinic establishes the highest global standards for treating one of the most severe hematological conditions. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the most intricate biological intervention, involving the replacement of the patient's cells with stem cells from a healthy donor. This process can effectively treat the most severe malignant hematological disorders,” Panovska Stavridis said during the formal inauguration of the center.

As she noted, there are plans to hire an additional 30 medical staff members for the needs of this center.

In his statement, Health Minister Fatmir Mexhiti mentioned that each year, a minimum of 50 to 60 patients from the country and 10 to 15 individuals from neighboring countries will receive treatment.

The facility lacked the space and capacity to accommodate them until now. With this significant investment, we inaugurate the commencement of operations for this new unit, providing patients with treatment conditions comparable to those offered by the most advanced centers of this kind worldwide, Mexhiti added.

The First Deputy Prime Minister, Artan Grubi, stated that a priority for the new government after May 8 should be the construction of the new Clinical Center, as it is an urgent requirement for the citizens.

"This project is confirmation that everything we receive from Russia brings problems and provocations, while everything we receive from the United States government is support for our European aspirations," Grubi added.

Defence Minister Slavjanka Petrovska pointed out that today's event demonstrates that the alliance and strategic partnership with the United States surpass all boundaries and showcase their humanitarian dimension.

In response to a reporter's question about the number of donors in the country and the level of interest, Director Panovska Stavridis said that the enthusiasm among our citizens is not significant enough to register in the registry.

She provided information that Croatia has around 70,000 donors, but in our country, there are only 5,000 voluntary donors.

In relation to this issue, Minister Mexhiti mentioned that he has had discussions with several leaders of religious communities to raise awareness about donation.

Photo: MIA, MIA archive