Ten Macedonian doctors in the next three to five years will visit hospitals in Croatia to specialize in cadaveric transplantation in order to apply the procedure in Macedonia. This is envisaged by the cooperation plan between the ministries of health of Macedonia and Croatia for 2013-2016, which was signed Wednesday in Zagreb by the ministers Nikola Todorov and Rajko Ostojic.

After signing the document, Minister Todorov said first and foremost the focus would be on Macedonian doctors finishing specializations in Croatia, MIA reported.

“The idea is annually to send 10 doctors - gynaecologists, radiologists, surgeons – in a bid to raise the quality of the regional centers in Macedonia, thus making them gatekeepers of the tertiary level of medical care in Macedonia,” Todorov stated.

He said he expected the Croatian health authorities to provide assistance in introducing cadaveric transplantation and paving the way toward membership in Eurotransplant. “The document enables cooperation to be enhanced in several areas of healthcare.”

Minister Ostojic noted that the cooperation plan encompassed various aspects, including exchange of knowledge, experience and health experts.

“Croatia is a regional center for organ transplantation in South Eastern Europe. And we too can and should learn from our colleagues in Macedonia. I expect our medical nurses and doctors to be invited to complete their education in Macedonia,” the Croatian Minister stated.