Skopje, 23 July 2025 (MIA) — A new two-story 600-square-meter outpatient clinic outpatient clinic opened Tuesday in the Municipality of Ilinden. 

The official opening was attended by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, Health Minister Azir Aliu and Ilinden Mayor Aleksandar Georgievski.

The new outpatient clinic was built on the site of the old one, which had been built half a century ago.

The construction costs of Mden 16 million were equally divided between the Ministry of Health and the Municipality of Ilinden. Together with the accompanying infrastructure, the total investment value was Mden 25 million.

"This facility is far more valuable than the monetary amount," Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said at the opening.

He added that the new outpatient clinic would give patients the peace of mind that they would have health care close to home. Also, he said, it would offer better working conditions to health care workers. 

Mickoski said the new facility reflected the state's commitment to modernizing the public health care system. He listed several completed or ongoing renovation projects in Skopje, Gostivar and Tetovo "as part of a serious, systemic transformation of public health care." 

"We are not just building facilities," he said. "We are building trust, dignity and a new hope in Macedonian health care. Hope that centers the patient, whom the state takes care of, in every city, in every village, in every home."

Minister of Health Azir Aliu announced that the new health care center would provide both basic and specialty care to over 30,000 residents of Ilinden. He said the facility housed 14 doctors offices.

According to Aliu, it is "a space that will offer trust, security and care to all citizens of the Municipality of Ilinden and beyond."

Ilinden Mayor Aleksandar Georgievski said local residents had been promised a new outpatient clinic for 15 years and by many governments. 

Finally, he said, the promise was fulfilled by the central and the local governments as part of their strategic development plan created through dialogue and cooperation with citizens.

"This facility can provide everything a citizen needs to receive quality, efficient and timely health services here, at home, in the heart of Ilinden," Georgievski said. mr/