The Serbian-American Medical Association has donated 30 new hospital beds and accompanying furniture, valued at $40,000, to the maternity ward of Valjevo Health Center in Serbia. The donation will benefit mothers and newborns from Valjevo and the five other municipalities in the Kolubara District served by the hospital.
The maternity ward at Valjevo Health Center has received a significant equipment donation from the Serbian-American Medical Association, providing new beds and furniture to improve comfort and working conditions for patients and medical staff.
The donation includes 30 hospital beds, bedside cabinets, new mattresses and waterproof mattress covers. The equipment is intended to meet the needs of the maternity ward and its delivery unit.
Representatives of the association visited the hospital to see the donated equipment and meet with medical staff. They expressed their satisfaction at being able to support the maternity ward through the partnership.
Dr. Ivan Aksentijević, president of the Serbian-American Medical Association, said the organization focuses on supporting preventive health care and vulnerable groups, particularly children and women in the postpartum period.
“This was something that was very much needed at this moment. As I understand it, the previous beds were no longer functional, and now the maternity ward has received completely new equipment,” Aksentijević said.
“This is important both for the mothers and for the wonderful midwives and doctors who work here.”
He explained that the association focused this year on maternity wards outside major cities, responding to applications from institutions that needed assistance.
More Than $1.6 Million Donated to Serbia
The Serbian-American Medical Association has been active for 13 years, bringing together physicians and people from other professional backgrounds who want to contribute to society through charitable work.
Over the past decade, the organization has donated more than $1.6 million to Serbia through various initiatives.
The cooperation with Valjevo Health Center began through a public call for applications, submitted by Dr. Željka Marić, head of the hospital’s gynecology and obstetrics department.
Marić welcomed the donation on behalf of the hospital’s medical team and the mothers who will benefit from the new equipment.
“We received 30 beds for the maternity ward, complete with bedside cabinets, new mattresses and waterproof covers. This is a complete set of equipment that fully meets the needs of our maternity ward and delivery unit,” Marić said.
“The beds have completely met our expectations. The women are very satisfied because they are comfortable and functional.”
She added that the new beds also offer substantial practical benefits for midwives, particularly when transporting patients and adjusting the headrests to improve comfort and facilitate care.
Marić described the swift delivery and completion of the donation as especially valuable under current circumstances.
A Call for More Support for Maternity Wards
Marić also called on local businesses and entrepreneurs to become more actively involved in supporting health care institutions throughout the region.
“Our maternity ward is the only one in the Kolubara District, and we need to bring together our local business community and encourage entrepreneurs to help—not only maternity wards, but also to actively contribute to providing the equipment that health care needs in the future,” she said.
She emphasized that women can give birth safely at Valjevo Health Center under the care of an experienced medical team equipped with modern facilities, including delivery tables and ultrasound machines.
The hospital also offers epidural analgesia for pain relief during childbirth. According to Marić, the institution is working to make the service available to all pregnant women who wish to use it and meet the relevant medical requirements, with the goal of implementing the expanded service within approximately one month.
She said hospital management and anesthesiology colleagues had agreed to work toward making this option more widely available.
Supporting Mothers and Newborns
In addition to its new equipment, Valjevo Health Center has for years offered mothers the opportunity to have a chosen support person present during childbirth.
The hospital also maintains a Baby-Friendly program, which allows newborns to remain with their mothers after delivery according to the mothers’ preferences.
The new beds and furniture represent an important addition to the maternity ward, where staff care for mothers and newborns from across the Kolubara District.
The donation illustrates the contribution that diaspora organizations can make to health care in Serbia by directing resources toward practical needs and helping medical institutions improve patient care.
For the Serbian-American Medical Association, the project continues a longstanding commitment to supporting vulnerable groups and strengthening health care through cooperation between Serbian professionals abroad and institutions in their homeland.
