Workers of the Department of Pulmonology and the Directorate of Security Service receive Semmelweis Hero Awards

Nearly 100 employees of the Department of Pulmonology and the Directorate of Security Service were awarded the Semmelweis Hero Award for their work during the coronavirus epidemic. The award was presented by Rector Dr. Béla Merkely and Dr. Attila Szabó, Vice-Rector for Clinical Affairs and President of the Clinical Center. The Hungarikum Association donated a painting by Sándor Püski to the health care workers, which was accepted by Dr. Veronika Müller, Director of the Department of Pulmonology, during the ceremony.

Nearly 100 staff members of the Department of Pulmonology and the Directorate of Security Service received the Semmelweis Hero Award, which includes a certificate and a porcelain plaque, at a ceremony in the Nagyvárad tér Theoretical Building. The award was founded by Rector Dr. Béla Merkely, Chancellor Dr. Lívia Pavlik and Vice-Rector Dr. Attila Szabó, President of the Clinical Center, to thank all those who are involved in the fight against the coronavirus.

I would like to ask you, who are receiving this award today, to tell your family and friends when you return home that Semmelweis University is proud of you and grateful for your conscientious work over the past two years – this is what this recognition expresses. No matter in which field or job you work, you have all contributed directly or indirectly to reducing the number of infected people, to speeding up the recovery of patients, to overcoming the pandemic as quickly as possible and to keeping the institution running at a high level despite the exceptional circumstances

– Dr. Béla Merkely said in his speech. He added that effective patient care, education and research, and infection control all require people who are well-prepared in all areas.

The rector stressed that the university staff have been on the front line for almost two years, fighting the fifth wave of the outbreak. “From the very beginning, the Department of Pulmonology has been one of the centers of COVID care at our university, where, in addition to acute cases, we were among the first to start dealing with the long-term effects of the coronavirus on the lungs and the aftercare of the disease. In addition to providing ongoing care for infected patients, they continue to provide a high standard of care for a variety of pulmonary diseases,” he underlined. “The university’s hospitals have so far treated nearly 8,600 patients with coronavirus, of whom about 1,800 have been treated at the Department of Pulmonology – and if we add those treated on the clinic’s premises but by staff from other units, the number of patients treated here is even more impressive,” he said.

“In an epidemic situation, it is extremely important to ensure safe working conditions and to adapt to changing challenges. Whether it’s safety at work, the establishment of different zones, changes in access, or the tasks of the vaccination points, we have been able to count on the staff of our Directorate of Security Service from the very first moment. They gave us all the support we needed to ensure that the staff in the clinics could concentrate on treating patients,” said Dr. Béla Merkely. The rector pointed out that vaccinations are the only long-term solution and can prevent the serious course of the disease.

The award winners received the recognition from Dr. Béla Merkely and Dr. Attila Szabó. The rector also presented a gift from the Hungaricum Association to health workers for their work during the coronavirus epidemic. The painting by painter and graphic artist Sándor Püski, entitled “Angels for Angels”, which is 90 cm high and 120 cm wide with frame and worth HUF 3 million, was accepted by Dr. Veronika Müller, Director of the Department of Pulmonology, which was on the front line of patient care during the epidemic.