Borovinić Bojović in Florence: Strengthening cooperation with Tuscany for advanced diagnostics, patient care

Montenegro’s Deputy Prime Minister for the Health System and Social Welfare Jelena Borovinić Bojović paid a visit to Florence, where she toured Meyer University Children’s Hospital and met with Dr Maria Caldes, Director of the Tuscany Region Centre for Global Health. She also met with Stefania Saccardi, President of the Regional Council of Tuscany, at the headquarters of the Government of the Tuscany Region.

The discussions focused on concrete models of cooperation that would enable the Montenegrin healthcare professionals to pursue further professional training and allow patients to benefit from the knowledge and experience of leading European healthcare centres.

During the visit to Meyer Hospital, particular attention was paid to neonatal screening, diagnosis of congenital and genetic diseases and the treatment of complex paediatric cases. The discussions addressed the establishment of links between professional and clinical teams, targeted training programmes and exchange programmes for doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, particularly neonatologists, radiologists and paediatric specialists.

As an important next step, both sides voiced willingness to draft the cooperation Protocol between Meyer Hospital and the Institute for Children’s Diseases of the Clinical Centre of Montenegro, which would provide a clear institutional framework for future cooperation.

We want cooperation that delivers concrete results – more opportunities for our doctors and nurses to learn and further develop their skills at leading European centres, to connect professional teams and to bring their knowledge and experience back into our healthcare system. The ultimate goal is better diagnostics, treatment and care for our patients, especially children, Borovinić Bojović said.

At the meeting with Stefania Saccardi, Minister for Health and Social Affairs of the Tuscany Region, both sides confirmed their readiness to further develop cooperation between Montenegro and Tuscany through professional training and the exchange of healthcare workers, direct cooperation between healthcare institutions and the exchange of experience in the organisation of healthcare systems.

They also discussed the challenges facing modern healthcare systems, particularly staff shortages, the need for continuous professional development and the increasingly complex demands placed on healthcare services.

European cooperation makes full sense to us when it means better healthcare services for citizens. That is why we want to turn our institutional relations with Tuscany into concrete training programmes, knowledge exchange, professional networking and long-term cooperation between our healthcare institutions in order to support and retain medical professionals, Borovinić Bojović said.

The meeting also covered a visit by representatives of Tuscany’s healthcare system to Montenegro in early November, during which priority areas and the next steps for cooperation are expected to be further defined.

The visit to Florence is part of activities aimed at strengthening the links between Montenegro’s healthcare system and European institutions and centres of excellence, with a focus on knowledge transfer, the development of professional capacities and improved healthcare services.