The EU Office in Bosnia handed over IT equipment worth about 20,000 euros to the BiH Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices as part of the European Union’s ongoing support for healthcare in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This equipment will strengthen capacity in the Agency, which is responsible for providing quality and safe medical products and medical devices for human use and establishing a functional system for the regulation of medicinal products in line with international standards, a statement by the EU Delegation in BiH said.

“I am proud that the EU stood by Bosnia and Herzegovina during a time of need during the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic demonstrated that reliable and functional healthcare institutions are crucial, and the BiH Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices was a key player, especially by advising, assessing and authorising vaccines and medicines to prevent and treat COVID-19. Healthcare is too important to be compromised by the all too often divisive politics of this country. The EU fully stands by the BiH Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices as a professional agency serving the needs of the whole country. Our wish is to see a strong and effective Agency that ensures BiH citizens have safe and effective medicines and medical devices”, said the Head of Banja Luka Office of the EU Delegation in BiH Simone Guerrini.

The donated equipment is intended to enable “easier insight into diagrams of complex laboratory analyses and large amounts of data, but also facilitate greater mobility of employees and business continuity in emergency conditions,” the EU Delegation said, adding that the EU procured 5 PCs, 11 big monitors, 2 multi-function laser printer and 9 laptops to assist the Agency in its daily work.

“I would like to thank the European Union for their assistance as they have been our steady partner helping us in a time of need. The equipment will help us better perform our daily duties in the interest of the citizens”, said the Director of the Agency Aleksandar Zorlak during the handover ceremony in Banja Luka.

The EU Delegation pointed out that, throughout the pandemic, the EU provided the largest amount of support for BiH with more than 20 million euros for the procurement of high quality medical equipment, vaccines and cold chain equipment to store vaccines. It also provided more than 75 million euros for post pandemic recovery.

“EU assistance for the improvement of the Health sector of Bosnia and Herzegovina will continue. An additional 10 million euros has recently been approved to improve preventive and primary health care in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The full details of this project will be announced soon”, the statement said.