Professional Interest

When she heard the Open Society Fund would give her institute the special machine she asked for from the Soros fund, Marija M., researcher in a prominent institution, buried her face in her hands in the flood of emotion.

The young scientist had been waiting for the basic tool of her trade for months, first because of the sanctions which were imposed on many science, health, culture and humanitarian institutions by the authorities over a period of months through a ban on a generous humanitarian institution.

Marija’s reaction did not just show the mix of emotions caused by the awareness that she won’t have to take samples for her research to other institutions and beg to use their aging equipment. Implicitly, she symbolizes the status in this country of a large number of professionals.

Professionals, i.e. people who do their jobs independently and responsibly, are an endangered species here today. They have been pushed aside by a whole culture of tricksters who aren’t just esteemed members of society but also are in power.

The two modest ceremonies last week organized by the former Soros (now the Open Society fund) for medical professionals seemed like an oasis. Not so much because of the nominal value of the 30 or so machines (worth 1.2 million DEM) but because of the possibilities they bring and their meaning.

Those possibilities and meaning intertwined with specific local and personal stories. Dr. Savic said the most important thing now is that doctors in Vladimirci will now be able to provide timely help for their patients and complete laboratory services. Professor Micic said researchers at the biochemistry institute will have an easier time examining the central nervous system. Dr. Belic of the Melenci rehabilitation center spoke of the advantages offered by the machine for reviving dying limbs, Dr. Stanojevic on the certainty of decreasing the number of surgical interventions at the Djakovica birth center, Dr. Lausevic of the benefits of the machine donated to the Kovacevic school will bring to kids with poor eyesight.

But there was also a common context.

Perhaps that was expressed most clearly by Dr. Branko Nenadovic, a surgeon from Cacak. He said the stomach surgery apparatus allows interventions with minimal damage to the stomach but stressed that he will be able to do only the most basic surgery at first. "But we will go on. We’ll have to open up towards the world one day."

In a country where some policeman gets promoted to general every now and then this was an authentic message from a different kind of social project.

(The author is advisor to the Open Society Fund medical program.)