Šimun meets Grossi: Montenegro to receive PET/CT scanner and four mammography machines
Montenegro will receive a PET/CT scanner and four state-of-the-art digital mammography machines through its ongoing programmes with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Health Minister Vojislav Šimun said following a meeting in Vienna with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.
As Šimun pointed out, this represents a concrete and important step forward in improving diagnostics and access to modern healthcare for citizens, as it will enable the monitoring of oncology patients to be raised to a significantly higher level.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Health, Šimun emphasised the importance of Montenegro’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, particularly in light of the country’s European integration path and its commitment to continuously improving healthcare capacities through international cooperation, the exchange of knowledge, and the application of modern advances.
- Our goal is clear - to continuously bring our healthcare system closer to the standards of modern medicine and to ensure that what represents cutting-edge technology today is available in Montenegro tomorrow - Šimun said.
The meeting also addressed the implementation timeline for two ongoing projects with the International Atomic Energy Agency: the improvement of PET/CT diagnostics, worth just under €1.9 million, with construction of the facility expected to be completed within the next 18 months, and a breast cancer early detection project worth €1.6 million, through which four state-of-the-art digital mammography machines will be provided.
- The Montenegrin Oncology Institute is an excellent healthcare institution, and the healthcare system is continuously working to make modern oncology and innovative therapies as accessible as possible to patients - Šimun said.
The meeting also covered a new cycle of technical cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, under which further strengthening of the capacities of Montenegro’s healthcare system is expected, according to the statement.
- Šimun also expressed concern over the current international crises, emphasising the importance of the Agency’s work in maintaining nuclear safety, security and international stability - the Ministry of Health said.
Grossi said that Montenegro was an important partner and expressed his readiness to continue cooperation, with particular support for the implementation of ongoing projects and the further modernisation of Montenegro’s healthcare system.