Medical waste treatment plant opens in Vrbas - Investment worth EUR 6 million

(Hospital in Vrbas)

A EUR 6 million medical waste treatment plant, built as part of a broader aid project of the European Union, was put in operation today in Vrbas.

- In addition to medical waste, this plant will also be treating veterinarian waste. The hospital in Vrbas is also equipped with a special vehicle for transport of contagious medical waste - Head of EU Delegation in Serbia Vincent Degert said at the opening ceremony.

He reminded that the European Union had invested EUR 140 million in Serbia's health care to date and added that the donation for the medical waste treatment included 46 sterilizers (autoclave), two of which were installed in the hospital in Vrbas, 54 vehicles for transport of that dangerous waste, and technical assistance.

Vojvodina Prime Minister Bojan Pajtic said that, out of total of 5,000 tonnes of medical waste annually produced in the country, 60 tonnes were coming from the hospital in Vrbas.

- The implementation of this project is in accordance with the European standards and it will raise the living standard of citizens of Vojvodina and entire Serbia - said Pajtic.

Health Minister Zoran Stankovic stressed that the treatment and disposal of medical waste in Vrbas would prevent spreading of contagious diseases caused by a contact with medical waste.

Minister of Environment, Mining and Spatial Planning Oliver Dulic reminded that the medical waste used to be a big problem, but that the adoption of the law on its management opened a possibility of overcoming that problem.