Author EUinfo Admin

Community-based services for disadvantaged groups are still in relatively short supply in Serbia. Despite significant progress in the last decade to decentralise social welfare, including a large-scale reform of social work centres, the development of a regulatory framework and the transformation of residential institutions, the provision of integrated social services has yet to take root. Those who suffer most from this situation are the vulnerable, in particular, the elderly, people with disabilities, the unemployed and refugees and internally displaced people, of which there an estimated 300,000 living in Serbia, following the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

Annually, some 5,000 tons of waste is accumulated in healthcare institutions in Serbia, of which one- fifth is hazardous waste. The introduction of infectious medical waste management system is very important for the improvement of public health and health care quality.

The number of cases of rabies in wild animals Serbia fell in 2011 by 80 percent compared to 2009 and in 2012 only 13 cases of infection were registered as a result of assistance from the European Union.

Clinical centres in Serbia received through the Screening project some 30 machines to carry out mammographs, nine for colonoscopies (a microscope delivery is also planned) as well as computer equipment for 15 cytology centres. With staff trained in screening area for all three malignant diseases, the opportunity for health improvements in these areas in in Serbia is secured – a main goal of the Project.

Three-year old Andjela from a village near the municipality of Mali Zvornik in West Serbia could not go to kindergarten – because she lives in a remote mountain village, and there is no-one to drive her there and also because the overcrowded kindergarten did not have a place for her. Another 40 children from several villages in the area, like Andjela, could not have playtime and early childhood education with their peers.

The total amount of EU funding in TENT since 2000 is around €200 million. With that assistance, the emission of solid particles into the air has been reduced six times, and the modernisation of facilities achieved a 4.2 million ton reduction in the use of coal. Annual production of electric power in TENT has increased by 400 megawatts, and energy efficiency has increased by 12percent thanks to the assistance of the European Union.