Opening the sitting, Committee Chairperson Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic Dejanovic reminded the attending of the tragic event of 12 January 2016 when nurse Ljubinka Popovic was killed in her place of employ, Sabac Healthcare Centre. She said that instances of violence against healthcare workers by patients and members of their families have been on the rise.

“There have been attacks on medical staff in Ambulances, primary healthcare institutions, hospitals, and these take the form of verbal, as well as physical attacks. Some of them have grave consequences”, said the Committee Chairperson. She said that today’s Committee sitting was scheduled to send a clear message that any type of violence against healthcare workers, violence of any kind, is unacceptable and the resolution to this problem calls for a concentrated action of the entire healthcare system, the state and society. “The message is clear – doctors, and all the employees working in the healthcare system should be guaranteed a secure working environment because this also improves the quality of the healthcare provided to the patients”, opined the Committee Chairperson.

The Committee members discussed establishing the highest level of criminal-legal protection for healthcare workers, introduction of the status of official for healthcare workers, and prevention of violence against them, with the purpose of overcoming this grave problem.

Following the discussion the Health and Family Committee adopted conclusions.

The sitting was attended by State Secretary at the Ministry of Health Prof. Dr Berislav Vekic, State Secretary at the Ministry of Justice Biljana Pavlovic, State Secretary at the Ministry of Interior Milorad Todorovic, Dejan Zivaljevic of the Police Directorate, as well as representatives of the Ombudsman, Serbian Health Council, Serbian Medical Society, medical, dental and pharmaceutical chambers, Serbian Chamber of Biochemists, Serbian Chamber of Nurses and Medical Technicians, Trade Union of Health and Social Care Workers, Branch Trade Union of Health and Social Care Workers “Independence”, as well as the Trade Union of Nurses and Medical Technicians of Serbia and the Trade Union of Medical Doctors and Pharmacists of Serbia.

The sitting chaired by Committee Chairperson Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic Dejanovic and attended by Committee members and deputy members Dr Branislav Blazic, Prim. Dr Ninoslav Giric, Prof. Dr Milan Knezevic, Dr Predrag Mijatovic, Dr Aleksandar Radojevic, Vladica Dimitrov, Dr Vesna Rakonjac, Dr Dragana Barisic, Prof. Dr Mileta Poskurica, Aleksandar Peranovic, Dr Radoslav Jovic, Dr Darko Laketic, Annamaria Vicsek, Dr Milan Latkovic and Ljiljana Kosoric.