Belgrade, 19 January 2004 – Through a great effort of the Foundation of HRH Crown Princess Katherine the delegation of our doctors visited Indianapolis in the period from 11 to 19 January 2004. The delegation went on this highly important journey for our health care system through mediation of the Foundation of HRH Crown Princess Katherine and “Lifeline” humanitarian organization. General manager of the Institute for Gynaecology and Obstetrics of the Clinical Centre of Serbia Prof. Dr. Nebojsa Radunovic, deputy general manager of the Institute Dr. Aleksandar Ljubic and the representative of the Foundation of HRH Crown Princess Katherine Mrs. Biljana Latinovic Jekic visited the Indianapolis School of Medicine and adjoining hospitals. 

The hosts to our delegation were the “Ambassadors for Children” – humanitarian organization that organized the visit of Indianapolis doctors and professors to Belgrade and Universities in Nis and Novi Sad in December 2003.  

The beginning of this cooperation dates back in September 2003 when TRH Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine visited Indianapolis, invited by Mrs. Christel DeHan, the chairperson of the Christel House Foundation. Through mediation of Mrs. DeHan Their Royal Highnesses met Mrs. Sally Brown - the “Ambassadors for Children” chairperson and general manager of the famous children’s Raily Hospital in Indianapolis. Their Royal Highnesses visited Raily Hospital during their stay in Indianapolis and met the doctors who later came to visit Belgrade and Serbia, in December 2003.  

The aim of this visit was to establish the official cooperation between Indiana and Belgrade University Schools of Medicine. A document was signed on mutual cooperation, students, doctors and professors exchange, joint research projects and further education of our doctors in America. The delegation also visited Riverview hospital in Noblesville – a town near Indianapolis, where they saw the equipment intended for our hospitals.  

As the first result of this cooperation, a group of 10 doctors from Indianapolis will in the next six months stay in Serbia for a week. This is going to be an opportunity for knowledge transfer and experience exchange. Other important projects have also been arranged, and several doctors have been invited to come to Serbia and deliver a series of lectures on the current issues from various fields of medicine. 

The visit to New York and Cornell University was an opportunity to arrange further joint projects and cooperation with our hospitals.