Health Center: Dr. Knežević's patients will not be left without gynecological care, her doors are still open

After information that around 6.000 patients will be left without a chosen gynecologist due to the departure of Dr. Jelena Knežević from the Health Center, the institution says that no woman will be left without healthcare.

They emphasize that they have a sufficient number of gynecologists and free registration slots, and that Dr. Knežević is welcome if she decides to withdraw her resignation.

The Health Center states that two young gynecology specialists, who completed their specialization at the beginning of the year, are already available to accept new patients.

"Six thousand patients will certainly not be left without healthcare. They already have the opportunity to register with two young doctors who came from specialization at the beginning of the year. We also have another doctor who just passed the specialist exam and can receive all patients who were registered with Dr. Knežević," said Dragana Perović Durković, director of the Podgorica Health Center, for Boje jutra on Vijesti Television.

He adds that the institution currently has 12 gynecologists, which is 50 percent more than before, when there were eight. At the same time, four doctors are undergoing specialization, and two more specializations in gynecology are planned.

She said that the Health Center currently has between 18.000 and 20.000 free registration spots with selected gynecologists.

Speaking about the reasons why Dr. Knežević did not receive approval for additional work after returning from parental leave, Perović Durković states that at the time of submitting the request, the 2017 rulebook was in effect.

According to that regulation, doctors who were absent from work for more than three months in the previous year were not entitled to additional work, regardless of the reason for the absence.

"In that rulebook, there was no distinction between maternity and parental leave and other types of leave. The rule applied to all leave longer than three months in the previous year," said Perović Durković.

However, a new regulation was adopted on June 30th and introduced exceptions. Thus, the restriction no longer applies to employees who were on maternity or parental leave, nor to those who were absent due to diagnoses for which they are entitled to 100 percent of their earnings during sick leave.

Perović Durković points out that Dr. Knežević submitted the request for termination of employment before the new regulations came into force.

"Her last working day was June 26th. The new regulation was adopted on June 30th, and was later published in the Official Gazette," she said.

When asked why the doctor was not specifically informed about the changes to the regulations, Perović Durković replied that it was a public act that was published in the Official Gazette and available to everyone.

Despite her decision to leave public healthcare, the Health Center says that the institution's doors are still open for her.

"The doctor is legally still with us because she is using her annual leave until July 24th. She is certainly welcome if she withdraws her request for dismissal. Every doctor is valuable to us," said Perović Durković.