European Eye Hospital opens

Skopje, 7 April 2011 (MIA) - The most complex ocular surgeries will be performed in the European Eye Hospital, which was opened Thursday in Skopje. The hospital, which is a Turkish investment in amount of over $12 million, is to be equipped with state-of-the-art instruments.

"The bridges for cooperation between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Turkey are reinforced with another facility. With this investment, world-renown Turkish ophthalmologists has founded their own base in Macedonia. Our country gets top health institution aiming to become a regional center for treatment of eye disorders, thus building new bridges for cooperation between Macedonia and other European countries," Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said at a opening ceremony.

"Macedonia not only gets a modern hospital, but also new jobs have been opened and the citizens will receive top healthcare services without having to travel abroad to receive treatment," Gruevski added.

The Government has singled out almost 100 million euros for procurement of new medical equipment for hospitals and approximately the same amount has been envisaged for overhaul of healthcare institutions. "Several private hospitals have been also opened in the past few years. It can be concluded that the offer of health services in Macedonia has been improved," the PM noted.

Minister of Health Bujar Osmani said the Turkish investment would improve the quality of Macedonia's healthcare.

"Experts from abroad will be engaged in the European Eye Hospital, who will transfer their expertise to Macedonian doctors," he stated.

Ophthalmologist Faruk Semis - hospital's director - said that the most complex eye surgeries would be performed.

"We are prepared to become leaders in ophthalmology in the region," Semis stressed.

The European Eye Hospital has a capacity of 15 thousand check-ups per month, which will be conducted by doctors from Turkey and Macedonia each day of the week.