UNICEF and EU provide air-conditioning equipment to Podgorica Health Center

Podgorica, 21^st July 2022 – During the summer heat wave, adequate room temperature is crucial for ensuring that essential health services including preventive check-ups and immunization can be provided to every child. For this reason, with UNICEF and EU support, 11 air-conditioning units have been provided to the paediatrics department of the Primary Health Centre of Podgorica.

“I am grateful to UNICEF and EU for their continuous support. This assistance comes in just the right moment, as it will enable us to continue providing essential health services to all families, including immunizations, during the ongoing heat wave”, said the Director of the Primary Health Centre of Podgorica dr Danilo Jokić.

This donation was made possible thanks to the financial support from the EU and its partnership with UNICEF during the last three years on the initiative "Strengthening health system resilience and response to the COVID-19 pandemic and epidemiological risks". Through this initiative, significant investments have been made to strengthen Montenegro’s health system’s infrastructure, as well as the knowledge and practices of the health workers.

"It is very important that children have access to appropriate health care and that they are protected from the summer heat. We are glad that, through cooperation with UNICEF, we were able to provide this donation in the shortest possible time and help the Health Center of the Capital City and its staff to continue to provide the necessary health care during the summer months", said the EU Ambassador of Montenegro Oana Kristina Popa.

Globally, UNICEF is the leading UN agency in providing support for ensuring that health services are reaching every child regardless of the place and climate conditions. 

“For children to be examined and for vaccines to be effective during the summer heat, adequate environmental temperature is needed in the health centre. We are happy to be able to make this urgent donation to ensure optimal conditions for the continuous health protection of every child and adolescent during the summer”, UNICEF Montenegro Representative Juan Santander pointed out.

In the coming period, UNICEF and EU will continue supporting Montenegro to recover from the pandemics and make the health system ready to providing quality health care to every child in all circumstances.