CROATIAN PRESIDENT VISITS WOUNDED CITIZENS - STATEMENT

ZAGREB, May 2 (Hina) - Croatia's President Franjo Tudjman this evening visited citizens wounded in today's rocket attack on Zagreb, who are admitted to the city casualty clinic, the President's Office said in statement. Accompanied by the clinic's head, Dr. Vjekoslav Nankovic, and a deputy health minister, Dr. Zeljko Rainer, President Tudjman first visited the most seriously wounded nine citizens, two of them of children and two refugees from Vukovar and Siroki Brijeg. Most of the injured persons at the re-animation ward had sustained wounds of the chest, stomach and spine. Afterwards President Tudjman visited lightly injured citizens and expressed his concern and sincere wishes for their speedy recovery. Seventy three citizens wounded in the rocket attack were brought to the clinic, and 35 of them had to remain there. Nine injured persons underwent operations urgently. After the visit to the wounded the President held long talks with the hospital's head and staff on the general condition of the clinic from the beginning of the war up to date. Despite shortage of medicines and many difficulties the Zagreb casualty clinic managed to provide a high percentage of survival among the war wounded in the Homeland War in comparison to hospitals in other western countries, particularly in the comparison with cases in the Persian Gulf war. During the visit the President was accompanied by his advisor on social activities, Branimir Jaksic, advisor on humanitarian issues, Slobodan Lang, the commander of the Croatian Army medical corps Slobodan Deskovic, the head of the city health secretariat, Jerka Jukic, the aide to the clinic's head, Ivan Likovnjak, and the Clinic's III ward head, Izidor Komanov, the statement said. (hina) jn mms 022205 MET may 95