Until recently, the treatment of patients with infectious and dermatovenereological diseases in Montenegro took place in an environment that many people remember with unease today, describing it as an inadequate space and difficult work organization. It was clear that the system was looking for a change that would provide more dignified conditions for both patients and staff. The construction of the Clinic for Infectious Diseases and the Clinic for Dermatovenereology, which was largely financed by the European Union's IPA funds, marked an important step towards a more modern healthcare system.
"Every citizen of Montenegro is aware of the conditions under which healthcare workers and patients received services in these two areas, so we now have a modern facility covering over 4,300 square meters and two new clinics. The total value of the project was 10.1 million euros, of which the European Union invested 8.5 million euros. This is a good example of European integration in terms of investing in the healthcare system of Montenegro," said Amra Pepić, Director General of the Directorate for IPA and Other Projects and Infrastructure in Healthcare.
In the new space, the Clinic for Infectious Diseases has 46 hospital beds distributed across six departments, along with a five-bed day hospital. In 2025 alone, 8,842 examinations were performed, while 658 patients were hospitalized – without a waiting list.
A special step forward is the modern intensive care unit, which is part of the clinic for the first time, which has relieved the Clinical Center of its burden. The new infrastructure has also brought security in dealing with crisis situations. "See for yourself what kind of building we have received with modern working conditions. We are now much more prepared than we were during the COVID-19 epidemic," said the director of the clinic, Ivana Đuković Savović.
However, the nature of infectious diseases is unpredictable, and few can avoid them. "During the winter, respiratory infections with pneumonia prevail, usually flu and COVID, while in the summer, intestinal infections are the most common. Throughout the year, we also have sepsis, encephalitis and meningitis, viral hepatitis, HIV, as well as other viral diseases," explains Đuković Savović, emphasizing that the key is prevention - from personal hygiene and proper nutrition to vaccination.
The same building, but with a different challenge, also houses the Dermatovenerology Clinic. Until the construction of the new building, it was in a rather inadequate space in Kruševac Park. “Since February 2012, due to the weather conditions that hit Podgorica at the time, we were moved to the Eye Diseases Clinic, where we had only two patient rooms, while the outpatient clinics were outside the central building,” recalls Dr. Marina Đaletić, director of the Dermatovenerology Clinic.
As he says, today patients receive services in one place, in a space that is functional and adapted to people with disabilities, with 32 patient beds in the inpatient area.
What hasn't changed is the complexity of the field itself. Dermatology is the branch of medicine with the most diagnoses, with more than 3,000 different diseases and conditions of the skin, mucous membranes, nails and hair. Around 100 patients are examined daily in the clinic's outpatient clinics.
"Atopic dermatitis dominates in children, the incidence of which is increasing, while eczema, keratinization disorders and skin infections are the most common in adults. Special focus is placed on the prevention of malignant diseases, because just one sunburn in childhood doubles the risk of developing melanoma," warns Đaletić, emphasizing the importance of timely diagnosis.
They add that the European Union's support does not stop at the construction of clinics - the Ministry of Health has already planned new investments through the IPA III program to improve "baby friendly" infrastructure in maternity wards, while a loan of 83 million euros has been signed with the Council of Europe Development Bank for the construction of a general hospital in Pljevlja, a health center in the City Quarter and a hematology clinic with a PCT center; in parallel, procedures are underway for a contract with the European Investment Bank worth 27 to 32 million euros for the purchase of modern medical equipment. On the occasion of World Health Day, April 7, it is important to recall the importance of accessible and high-quality healthcare for all, as well as the need for constant improvement of the system in order to respond to the needs of citizens.
