Health

THE SPECIALIZED HOSPITAL ”MERKUR” FROM VRNJAČKA BANJA INTRODUCING NEW PROGRAMS
Living with Diabetes
With the decision of the Republic Health Institute, this hospital became the National Centre for the prevention of diabetes and for education of diabetics. In Serbia, there are more than one half of million registered diabetics, and in ”Merkur” they can learn everything about the illness and also how to fight it

National Review wrote several times about the Specialized Hospital ”Merkur” in Vranjčka Banja, the unique health institute in Serbia, which successfully united traditional spa treatments, balneotherapy and modern wellness and aqua programs. With the decision of the Republic Health Institute, this hospital became the National Centre for the prevention of diabetes and for education of diabetics. Even if the medications are improving, the success of therapy concerning this disease depends very much on the change of your lifestyle. That is just what we learn here.
There are about 400 diabetics in the Specialized Hospital ”Merkur”, which is supported by the Institute. The rest of the capacity is used by guest who came to have some fun, to rest, to use the diagnostics and check up on their health, to learn how to eliminate stress through a preventive program for managers, to save their health, or to lose weight through a program, which is controlled by doctors. All these different programs gave ”Merkur” more than 160 thousand guests last year, which is a record in the last twenty years.
– The history of ”Merkur” begins in the 1930’ when the bathroom building was constructed – the one you see on all postcards and souvenirs from Vranjačka Banja – says Doctor Dejan Stanojević, the Manager, for National Review. – Last year, it was the 140th anniversary of organized treatment and spa tourism. ”Merkur” originates from that tradition. Our guests do not only want to lie down, have a treatment program and drink healthy water... We have many young and healthy guests who only want to have some fun here. That is why we made a wellness and aqua centre in ”Merkur”, with all following programs. However, our attention is mostly on diabetics. Diabetes is one of the biggest plagues of the 21st century. We have more than half a million registered diabetics in Serbia. It is also one of the meanest diseases, because we discover it after the complications occur. Our goal is that our guests learn everything about it, to learn how to fight it and how to live with it.

NEW CAPACITIES AND POSSIBILITIES

In the end of April we shall open the completely renovated object ”Mirko Tomić”, which is actually the sanatorium ”Sveti Đorđe” from 1918. The old glow and the beauty of fancy spa villas, made for gentlemen between two world wars, will become popular again, and those villas are protected by law. Next year, they will renovate the stationary ”Romanija”, they will adjust smaller villa with 30 to 50 beds for commercial guests.
– Starting on May 1st, we will be able to accommodate 750 guests and patients per day. Besides foreigners, our guests are people from organizations who send their workers for prevention and rehab, people who work under tough conditions. One of the most important diseases is gastroenterology (diseases of the digestive system), and the experts of our Specialized Hospital made great efforts in its treatment. We have patients with gastritis, gastric ulcer, or they are on recovery after a stomach operation, of gallbladder, after colon inflammation, after Crohn disease or colitis... Our warm baths are used in treatment of stomach disorders, and cold water is for treatment of sand and stone in kidneys or bladder – says Doctor Stanojević. – Diabetics also drink it, because it has been proved that does well for the pancreas. The water is used for eye rinsing, which is good for the treatment of cataract. I have been working in this institution for 20 years and I claim that we have great results in all spheres. Which is most important, everything is treated naturally, with no chemicals.
Instead of spending weeks in doctor’s offices and laboratories, in hospital centres and clinics, for their health condition, people can come to ”Merkur” Hospital and finish it all in five days, from Monday to Friday, no standing in rows and no stress.
– It is a special package – during the day, our guests come for a complete diagnostics, and in the afternoon, they get a massage in our wellness centre. We also started the program of ”dental tourism”. We have already had several groups of Italians who came here to fix their teeth. They say that it is cheaper than spending the summer in any summer resort in Europe. We have an ordination for surgery and oral surgery, and we are preparing to open a plastic and reconstructive surgery department. This is only one part of our offer – says Doctor Stanojević.

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Perfection
This centre would not be so successful if there were not for the collective work and a wish to imperfect not only employees but also equipment. One million Euros were invested in newest medical and diagnostic equipment, from the Hospital fund.
– Once, only doctors were a part of this training, now we have cooks, waiters, tourist workers – says Doctor Stanojević. – And these young people make the most important part of our work. They realized that the guest and the patient are somehow sacred, and that the most important thing is to be polite and smile, along with great knowledge.