In Serbia, as has been the case in many countries, the outbreak of the pandemic exposed all the negative sides of the neglect of finances and personnel in the healthcare system. Although doctors and medical staff have shown themselves to be highly ethical, it seems that neither citizens nor the state have grasped the lesson that good health protects the economy
In parallel with the waves of the pandemic and questions over whether the healthcare system will “burst” under the weight of constant influxes of patients, many dilemmas have emerged regarding the future of this sector, which has been the subject of (un)successful reforms for years, but also the point of departure from this country for the best personnel. We spoke with our interlocutors, all of whom are excellent doctors from the first and second lines of the pandemic front, about what lessons should be drawn if we want a more resilient healthcare system and what can be done and under which conditions?
The answers we received highlight both the strengths of the system and its many weaknesses that require serious “treatment” – from poor planning, to the inadequate structure of doctors and nurses, and the side-lining of the private healthcare sector.
In addition to this, two key shortcomings are transparency and the availability of information in the system, and work on the proper informing of patients.