Semmelweis University’s Department of Traumatology (which operates jointly in Uzsoki Hospital’s Department of Orthopeadics and Traumatology, and Péterfy Sándor Hospital’s Trauma Centre) and the University’s Heart Centre have become part of an exclusive group of 25 medical institutions around the world accredited by FIFA as “Medical Centres of Excellence”. This designation, introduced by FIFA in 2005, aims to inform athletes around the world about where they can receive the highest quality treatment for their football-related injuries.
The certificates were presented by FIFA’s Chief Medical Officer Jiri Dvorak at an inauguration ceremony held on April 21, 2011 in the University’s Semmelweis Salon.
Rector Tivadar Tulassay opened the ceremony, after which Dr. Miklós Réthelyi, Minister of National Resources gave his address. Dr. Réthelyi, who had been rector of Semmelweis University in the early 1990s, expressed his pleasure that the University has achieved such a great honour.
In his presentation, Jiri Dvorak spoke about FIFA’s health policy, including the key role which football can play in promoting healthier lifestyles among the general population and the importance of prevention as an approach to dealing with football injuries. According to studies done by FIFA, the world’s 300 million football players suffer some 600 million injuries per year, but with the introduction of simple preventative measures, there has been a perceptible decrease in this number.
The official certifying documents were accepted by Dr. László Hangody, director of the Department of Traumatology and Dr. Béla Merkely, director of the Heart Centre, respectively.
(Translated by Gina Gönczi)
