Bitola, 21 November 2022 (Embassy of Japan/MIA) - Ambassador of Japan, Hironori Sawada attended Monday a handover ceremony of the successfully completed GGP project at the Public Health Institution (PHI) Clinical Hospital “Dr. Trifun Panovski” Bitola. The project financed the procurement of a Canon ultrasound system to the Pediatrics Department at the PHI Clinical Hospital “Dr. Trifun Panovski” Bitola, with the total value of 52.779 EUR, the Embassy of Japan said in a press release. “This is the first such device in the pediatric department in the last 25 years and represents a huge benefit for public health in Bitola and beyond in the South-West region of the country,” said hospital director Aleksandar Obednikovski. “The children will no longer have to wait for a long time to get an examination and diagnosis, or seek help in clinics far away creating additional costs for their families,” said Ambassador Sawada. Ambassador Sawada also had the opportunity to discuss the future opportunities for cooperation with Bitola Mayor Toni Konjanovski and Director Obednikovski. Through GGP, by far, Japan funded over 60 projects in the health sector in total value of more than 3 million euros specifically in medical equipment, renovation of clinics and ambulance vehicles. In addition, for the past two years Japan is equipping the public health institutions with medical equipment worth 813.000 EUR as emergency COVID-19 aid, part of the Economic and Social Development Programme and additional non-financial assistance was offered in medications for 100 patients of COVID-19. Through the GGP program Japan has financed renovation projects and provision of equipment for more than 73 schools and kindergartens and 64 health care institutions and has provided 34 maintenance and waste management vehicles for 51 municipalities.