Can the Balkans fight the coronavirus

The health system in Western Balkan countries, which even prior to the outbreak of the coronary epidemic, has had a lack of equipment and professional staff, will be hit even more by the European Council's decision to limit medical equipment exports outside the European Union.

The EC has made this decision to keep the necessary supplies within the bloc, given that the number of people affected by coronarys is growing.

EU member states, especially those most endangered, Italy and Spain, have problems themselves with insufficient numbers of respiratory, test tests, hospital beds and professional staff.

European Commission spokesman Eric Mamer has said that even in the Western Balkans, the so-called “scope of authorisation” will be applied, which enables EU countries to decide whether to export medical and other protective equipment.

The same principle applies to the Western Balkans. It's about the authorization scheme to export medical equipment”, Mamer said.

According to him, it is up to European Union member states to decide for possible export, so EC officials do not want to label the decision as “export prevention”.

The European Commission's decision, which was adopted by accelerated procedure on March 14th, “aims to protect supplies with such equipment within the EU's single market”.

The decision to limit the export of medical equipment will be valid over the next six weeks.

Brussels or Beijing

Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq, has criticised Brussels' decision, naming European solidarity as “stories on paper”.

I don't want to make up the findings now, but when it's all over. We have realized that there is no great international solidarity, nor is there European. This is a fairy tale on”, he said.

He has said China is the only country that can help Serbia in this situation.

I've sent special letter to the President of China, Xi Jinping, whom I first called my brother, not only mine, but also this country. By guaranteeing centuries of friendship with Serbia, I have asked China to send us doctors too, because we dare not allow Coronavirus to enter our hospitals”, Vuciq, who has declared a state of emergency in Serbia, has said because of the coronary.

He has also said Serbia has bought five million masks from China and that it is in the process of buying new respiratories from “Chinese brothers”.

Pollemica for number of respirators in Serbia

According to the data Vuciq has submitted, Serbia has 1,008 respiratories and will buy 500 more.

At one point, however, Serbia's chief minister, Ana Brnabiq, has said that information about the number of respirators is “state secretary”.

A day earlier, Serbia's Health Ministry has announced the public procurement of 15 respirators, who will be distributed to hospitals in Serbia.

According to data from the Institute of Public Health in Serbia, Dr Milan Jovanovic Batut, reported by BIRN, Serbia has 955 respiratories in the station 740 , 215 mobile phones and 106 broken.

When it comes to testing Corleone, many Serbian citizens have said doctors have refused to test, even in situations where they showed symptoms.

Infectologist and member of Serbia's government commission, Mijomir Pellemish, has said doctors decide who will be tested, not patients, Birn reports.

We'd need seven million tests! There are enough tests and tests that, according to medical estimates, must be tested”, Pellemish said.

Serbia has fewer doctors and technicians than the European average, as EU member states have 333 doctors for 100,000 people and Serbia has 285, Batut Institute data show, Birn reports.

Serbia also has 554 nurses and technicians for 100,000 people, while EU members have 825.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Insufficient Devices

Health facilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina warn of lack of equipment, especially if the coronary epidemic gains momentum.

The additional problem is the complex structure of the state. Health responsibility in this case is entity, cantons and Brcko District, so coordination is difficult.

When it comes to respirators, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Health Minister Vjekoslav Ma exactly persecuted, has said that the entity has 141 devices. We consider that it is enough”, he said.

As far as tests are concerned, the World Health Organisation (OBSH) has launched Bosnia 1,000 tests, which are equally distributed in Banja Luka and the Sarajevo University Clinical Centre. Bosnia is expected to receive another 500 tests.

In the event of further corruption of the coronary, additional equipment purchases will be needed, experts warn.

Zlatko Kraviq, hospital director “Dr Abdullah Nakash” in Sarajevo, has told N1 television that respiratories are missing in this facility. He has said that agreements on their security have been signed, but producers have decided to send them to Italy.

How much is Montenegro prepared?

Montenegro has 70 respiratories, while ordering even 20th, has told television Antena M epidemiologist Senad Begic, of the Institute for Public Health.

When it comes to quarantine, according to him, the Interne Clinic in Podgorica has three rooms with seven beds, while, depending on the need, capacities can increase.

Tivar's regional hospital, meanwhile, has announced that its efficient department has 100 beds, including 12 for intensive care, as well as six respiratory.

As for the tests, Begic has said that Montenegro currently has 800 and that with new orders to take place, their number will reach about 3,000.

Kosovo: 80 respirators

Kosovo's University Clinical Centre has 58 respirators, but currently they are used for hospital patients.

The institution also has 15 reserve respirators that can be used for people who are sick of Coronobrus.

In the general hospitals in Mitrovica, Peja, Gjilan, Vushtrri, Gjakova, Prizren and Ferizaj, there are a total of 22 respiratories that can be used.

There are also several private hospitals in Kosovo, but the Health Ministry stresses that no agreement has yet been reached whether these hospitals would accept coronary patients.

Faik Hoti, director of the Health Ministry Information Office, has said the main treatment centre for coronary patients is the Infectious Clinic at the University Clinical Centre in Kosovo.

According to him, the reorganization of clinics or services can be done, depending on the need.

The Kosovo government has allocated 10m euros within the framework of the plan for the treatment of the choreography.

Croatia: Sources Enough for Now

Croatia, according to Health Minister Willi Berosh, currently has enough resources to cope with the Coronavirus.

Croatia's situation is also eased by the fact that it can rely on the help of the European Union, where it is a member state.

“Depends on how long the crisis will last, because no one has supplies that can last for a long”, Beosh said.

According to medical doctor Marija Bubash, member of the Health Ministry team, Croatia has 491 retired and 280 mobile respiratories, reports the Index port.hr.

Minister Beross has said he has asked the government for means for the purchase of nine respirators as well.

In Croatia, for the time being, there are five quarantines, but according to Dr. Bubash, in case of need, other health facilities can be adjusted.