October 29, 2004

Embassy of the United States of America
Belgrade

Ambassador Michael C. Polt to open
the John Kingsbury Health Dispensary in Pranjani

On Monday, November 1st, U.S. Ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro, Michael C. Polt, and Dr. Ljubisa Sumarac, Director of the Gornji Milanovac Health Center, will inaugurate the newly reconstructed John Kingsbury Health Dispensary, located in the village of Pranjani. Support for this project was provided by the people of the United States of America through the USAID-funded "Community Revitalization through Democratic Action" (CRDA) program, in partnership with the citizens of Gornji Milanovac.

John Kingsbury was an American Red Cross worker stationed in Pranjani during World War I. As a token of goodwill towards the people that he had worked and lived with during the war, Kingsbury returned to Pranjani in 1930 to construct a health center that would service the residents of Pranjani and its surrounding villages. After decades of neglect, however, and lack of investment, the building was abandoned and the staff relocated to other premises.

During a CRDA Town Hall meeting in 2003, the residents of Pranjani proposed the renovation of the John Kingsbury Dispensary as a priority project for the community. The CRDA rural Community Board for the village then determined the project was a high priority and was approved for USAID funding. A total of $66,912.98 was allocated to completely renovate the 208m2 dispensary, including interior and facade reconstruction, roofing, and a complete plumbing and electrical overhaul. New lab equipment was also procured to modernize the dispensary’s analytical capabilities.

Due to the initiative of the citizens of Gornji Milanovac and USAID funding, over 2,000 area residents will have improved access to health care services.

Members of the press interested in covering the opening ceremony, should be at the John Kingsbury Health Dispensary at 10:40 on November 1, 2004 in Pranjani, Gornji Milanovac.

For additional information about the project to reconstruct the John Kingsbury Health Dispensary or activities related to the CRDA program in central Serbia, please contact Goran Đorđević at 034/33 11 45 or gdjordjevic@acdivoca.org.yu.

Ambassador Michael C. Polt gives remarks prior to ribbon cutting.

Ambasador Majkl K. Polt se obraća prisutnima pre presecanja vrpce.

Staff, children's folk group and villagers in front of the John Kingsbury Health Dispensary.

Osoblje, dečja folklorna grupa i žitelji sela ispred Doma zdravlja John Kingsbury.

Children's folk dancers and musicians performing for the guests in front of the reopened clinic.

Dečja folklorna grupa i muzičari izvode predstavu za goste ispred ponovo otvorene bolnice.

Original clinic plaque in English and Serbian from 1930

Originalna tabla na klinici iz 1930. godine na engleskom i srpskom jeziku

29. oktobar 2004.

Ambasada Sjedinjenih Američkih Država
Beograd

Ambasador SAD-a u Srbiji i Crnoj Gori, Majkl K. Polt, svečano će otvoriti Dom zdravlja “Džon Kingsburi” u Pranjanima

U ponedeljak, 1. novembra, ambasador Sjedinjenih Američkih Država u Srbiji i Crnoj Gori, Majkl K. Polt i Dr Ljubiša Šumarac, direktor Doma zdravlja Gornji Milanovac, svečano će otvoriti renovirani Dom zdravlja “Džon Kingsburi”, smešten u selu Pranjani. Podrška za ovaj projekat obezbeđena je donacijom građana Sjedinjenih Američkih Država u okviru programa “Revitalizacija zajednice kroz demokratsku akciju” (CRDA), koji finansira Američka agencija za međunarodni razvoj (USAID) u saradnji sa stanovnicima Gornjeg Milanovca.

Džon Kingsburi je bio aktivista američkog Crvenog krsta na službi u Pranjanima za vreme Prvog svetskog rata. Kao znak dobre volje prema ljudima sa kojima je radio i živeo za vreme rata, Kingsburi se vratio u Pranjane 1930. godiine da bi izgradio zdravstveni centar koji bi služio stanovnicima Pranjana i okolnih sela. Međutim, posle decenija nemarnosti i nedostatka ulaganja, zgrada je napuštena, a zaposleni respoređeni na druge lokacije.

Tokom zbora građana u okviru CRDA programa 2003. godine, stanovnici Pranjana su predložili renoviranje Doma zdravlja “Džon Kingsburi“ kao prioritetni projekat za svoju lokalnu zajednicu. Seoski Savet građana na programu CRDA je ovaj projekat uvrstio na listu prioriteta i za njega su odobrena sredstva od strane USAID-a. Za kompletnu rekonstrukciju 208 m2 površine ovog Doma zdravlja, koja obuhvata rekonstrukciju enterijera i fasade, krova, kao i kompletnih vodovodnih i električnih instalacija, izdvojeno je 66.912,98 američkih dolara. Takođe je nabavljena i nova oprema za laboratoriju u cilju modernizovanja kapaciteta ove institucije.

Zahvaljujući inicijativi stanovnika Gornjeg Milanovca i sredstava obezbeđenih od strane USAID-a, više od 2.000 stanovnika ovog područja će imati mnogo bolji pristup zdravstvenim uslugama.

Predstavnici medija su pozvani da prisustvuju ceremoniji otvaranja Doma zdravlja “Džon Kingsburi” u ponedeljak, 1. novembra, 2004, godine u 10:40 sati u Pranjanima, Gornji Milanovac.

Za sve dodatne informacije u vezi sa projektom rekonstrukcije Doma zdravlja “Džon Kingsburi” ili aktivnostima CRDA programa u centralnoj Srbiji, molimo Vas da kontaktirate Gorana Đorđevića na 034/331-145 ili gdjordjevic@acdivoca.org.yu.