As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 31st of August, 2020, the coronavirus hospital has now been reopened at Zagreb's Dubrava Hospital, and Ivica Luksic, the coordinator of hospital treatment for infected patients, stated when in conversation with N1 that the first patient had already arrived.
"We had a young man who has a chronic disease and at the same time is coronavirus positive, he's located in our respiratory centre," said Luksic, adding that the patient's condition is good.
He pointed out that they are now entering autumn much securely and calmly, precisely because of the experience they have gained since the beginning of the pandemic back in spring. “Of course, instruments, respirators, capacities, all of that is important, but so is the experience and knowledge we have in the treatment of the infected and the organisation we’ve come to learn over time, so, no matter how the numbers grow, we’re ready and our citizens can be calm,'' the coordinator of Dubrava Hospital's recently opened coronavirus hospital said.
He added that 40 respirators and 80 beds are ready and waiting for patients with a more difficult clinical picture, and that the capacities can be increased if necessary. "As long as pandemic lasts, there will be more and more positive and infected people, and we must take care of those patients who have other chronic diseases, and at the same time are coronavirus positive," Luksic said.
With a good reorganisation of the system, part of the services will work in two shifts and the waiting list has even decreased in some cases, said Luksic, adding that things can be done better and that this time should be used to reorganise the system.
People's fear when it comes to regular visits to their doctor is justified, Luksic points out, adding that this must be taken into account in any reorganisation and modification process. ''At first, we didn’t know which way to go either, but luckily those issues didn’t last long and patients went to see their doctors and were examined at other hospitals. Today when we're significantly more prepared, we're well organised, and all chronic patients come, they can still go to their doctor and get the care they need,'' Luksic said.
The key thing in the continuation of the coronavirus pandemic is to protect people and medical staff, which is something the expert team of the Ministry of Health and the National Civil Protection Headquarters are thinking about on a daily basis, and all strategies and scenarios are being planned and solutions are being given, says Luksic.
"The key is that nothing is possible without people, and the thing we need to make sure we do is defend, in addition retirement homes, which house the most vulnerable population - the health system. You can be organised enough, but if there are not enough people, any system gets into trouble,'' Luksic said.
When asked whether he expects a larger increase in the number of infected people with the opening of kindergartens and schools, Dubrava Hospital's coronavirus hospital coordinator said that greater mobility of people is expected to increase the number of infected.
"Maybe children will not be the biggest carriers, but colleges and people who normally move around and socialise more will be, and we're entering the winter part of the year, so we expect further growth. That's why it's important to be responsible and stick to the recommended measures. The measures of social distance and wearing a mask aren't very demanding, and in this situation they're actually the most important to us,'' he said.
For more on coronavirus in Croatia, follow our dedicated section.
For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily.
Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages
