World Heart Day: Free Checkups in Uzice, Novi Sad, Belgrade
Ahead of World Heart Day, health centers are offering free checkups: today in Uzice and Vozdovac, tomorrow in Novi Sad and Belgrade. Here is where, when and what gets measured.
Where can you get a free blood pressure check, glucose test or ECG this week? It depends on the city. Uzice holds its event today, Novi Sad and Belgrade follow tomorrow, and we have gathered every time and location in one place.
In brief
- Today, September 28: Uzice, in the lobby of the Health Center, from 8 to 10 a.m. Vozdovac, phone scheduling for home visits, from 7 a.m. to noon.
- Tomorrow, September 29, World Heart Day: Vozdovac, Ustanicka 16, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., no appointment needed. Novi Sad, BIG shopping mall, from 2 to 4 p.m. Novi Sad, Svilara on Podbara, from 5 to 8 p.m.
World Heart Day falls on September 29, and health centers across Serbia mark the date every year with preventive campaigns. The reason is not just tradition. According to 2023 data from the Institute of Public Health of Serbia, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among chronic non-communicable diseases, accounting for 49.7 percent of all deaths in the country. That is nearly one in every two cases, which is why these campaigns are more than symbolic.
What is happening in Uzice?
The Uzice Health Center is holding its checkup today, September 28, from 8 to 10 a.m. in the lobby of the institution. Staff will measure blood pressure and pulse, and draw blood to check glucose and lipid levels. Visitors are advised to skip breakfast beforehand, since the results are more accurate on an empty stomach.
And in Vozdovac?
The Vozdovac Health Center is assessing heart disease risk factors tomorrow, Tuesday, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The checkup takes place at the main building on Ustanicka 16, first floor, entrance 1, and no appointment is required, though it is aimed at residents between 25 and 50 years old.
Anyone who would rather be seen at home can book a house call today, from 7 a.m. to noon, by calling 011/30 80 606 or 011/30 80 648.
Where in Novi Sad?
The Prevention Center of the Novi Sad Health Center is setting up tomorrow from 2 to 4 p.m. at the BIG shopping mall on Sentandrejski Road. Visitors can get an ECG, have their blood pressure and pulse checked, calculate their body mass index, and test glucose and cholesterol from a capillary blood sample. Alongside the medical staff, a dental service and a Youth Counseling Center will also be on site, under the slogan “Don’t miss a single heartbeat.”
In the evening, from 5 to 8 p.m., on the plaza of the Svilara Culture Station on Podbara, at 6b Djordja Rajkovica Street, the Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases of Vojvodina will measure blood pressure, glucose and body mass index, and teach residents the basics of resuscitation.
Why hold these workshops at all? The Novi Sad Health Center explains:
The goal of these workshops is precisely to raise the population’s health awareness and help people recognize the risk factors that lead to disease.
That is a practical goal, not just an educational one. Anyone who catches high blood pressure or elevated blood sugar early has time to change something before a more serious problem develops.
Does diet really make a difference?
According to the Batut Institute of Public Health, the biggest difference is made in the kitchen, not the pharmacy. Less salt, fewer cured meats and less added sugar are the first three changes to make. In their place, olive oil, fish, nuts, whole grains, and seasonal fruit and vegetables should take priority.
Anyone who wants specific advice does not have to guess. The Nutrition Counseling Center of the Institute of Public Health of Serbia, at 13 Nikolaja Krasnova Street, is open on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and appointments can be booked by calling 060 717 1539.
This is not the first such campaign this month. We previously wrote about free checkups in Belgrade, Nis and Ruski Krstur, which were a separate, earlier campaign. This week brings a new round, this time across three different cities.
Who should make a point of going?
- If high blood pressure, diabetes or obesity run in your family, this campaign was designed with you in mind.
- If you smoke or are middle aged, risk factors are easiest to catch at exactly this kind of screening.
- If you feel completely healthy, the checkup is still worth it, since high blood pressure usually has no symptoms.
All it takes is half an hour and, in Uzice, an empty stomach. These time slots will not repeat every day, so if you plan to go, note down the date and time for your city right away.
