A humanitarian dream come true
After ten years of planning and overcoming obstacles, Medjugorje will finally have a medical emergency room. The project, promoted by Veronese architect Vittorio Gugole, arises in response to a critical need in this important Marian pilgrimage center, where the nearest hospital is in Mostar, approximately 25 miles away on difficult roads.
Spiritual origin of the project
Gugole, a retired architect living in Madonna di Campagna, explains that his main motivation was to give back spiritually what he had received during his visits to Medjugorje. "I did everything as a work of charity, absolutely free of charge. I was in Medjugorje, that place gives me so much spiritually, I had a duty to reciprocate," said the professional. The initiative began at Easter 2014 when a friend of his, during a pilgrimage, met Father Milenko, Franciscan provincial of Herzegovina.
Challenges and adaptations
The road to realizing the project was not easy. From the beginning, the local authorities in Čitluk, the municipality to which Medjugorje administratively belongs, showed support but also raised various complications. Among the main challenges were the choice of land, municipal and health authorizations, and especially how to integrate the structure into the National Health Service under the Ministry of Health in Sarajevo.
The complexities were compounded by the different ethnic groups, mentalities, traditions, and religions that coexist in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2019 represented another significant obstacle, limiting the travel and meetings necessary to move the project forward.
Features of the new facility
The "Peace Emergency Room," as the structure will be called, represents a Territorial Emergency Point (TEP) equipped to handle various urgent medical specialties. It will have orthopedic surgery services, an X-ray and ultrasound room, a cardiology department, among others. The initial 880-square-meter design was adjusted to 509 square meters to optimize resources and functionality.
Funding and delivery
The project has been financed by the non-profit organization "Olimpiadi del Cuore," founded by a group of volunteers that includes lawyer Piergiorgio Merlo from Brescia, journalist Paolo Brosio, and Mirella Sego. Once the work is completed, the structure will be handed over free of charge to the municipality of Čitluk, which provided the land, following the directives of the Director General of the Mostar Hospital, Dr. Ante Kvesic, and sanitary engineer Tihomir Cavar.
Gugole emphasizes that this is "an emergency service for all ethnicities and religions, for tourists and pilgrims," highlighting the inclusive and humanitarian nature of the initiative, which will soon see the light of day after a decade of constant effort.
Original source: www.cronacadiverona.com (published on March 28, 2024)
