Netherlands Donates Special Patient-transport Vehicles to Slovakia

Bratislava, 29 January (TASR) - The Netherlands has donated two secure vans to Slovakia, specially adapted for transporting people requiring special treatment, the Health Ministry's communications department told TASR on Thursday, adding that these include, for example, psychiatric patients or people placed in detention facilities. "I'm delighted that the Professor Karol Matulay Psychiatric Hospital in Kremnica [Banska Bystrica region] and the Psychiatric Hospital in Velke Zaluzie [Nitra region] will receive specially adapted vehicles designed for the safe transport of patients. I also appreciate our continued cooperation with the Kingdom of the Netherlands on several projects; for example, in the field of forensic psychiatry, psychology and the detention system, as well as in supporting the construction of a new children's oncology centre in Bratislava," said Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD). Each vehicle, worth approximately €40,000, consists of three separate units (for 2+2+3 people), is equipped with a camera and alarm system, and can transport up to seven people. The Netherlands donated the vehicles as part of cooperation in repatriating Slovak citizens with mental illnesses from the Netherlands back to Slovakia. The vehicles were handed over on Thursday in the presence of the health minister, representative of the Dutch Justice and Security Ministry Erik de Borst, Dutch Ambassador to Slovakia Jules Gerzon, and Slovakia's Ambassador to the Netherlands Juraj Podhorsky. am/df