“As rector of Semmelweis University, I feel particularly honored to be here representing the university that was named after one of the world’s most famous physicians. The artwork just unveiled is already the 27th Semmelweis sculpture in the world that was created with the support of Semmelweis University. This also shows that all over the world, across borders, Semmelweis’s discovery and the lessons of his life’s work connect people who have dedicated their lives to the world’s most beautiful profession, medical and health sciences,” said Dr. Béla Merkely in his welcome address. The rector noted that the artist behind the newly inaugurated sculpture, Panumat Kwandee, had previously depicted another prominent Hungarian: He had designed the bust of the eminent naturalist John Xantus, which was inaugurated in Bangkok’s Suan Phlu Park in 2024.
Dr. Béla Merkely pointed out that the Hungarian university had taken on the name of Ignác Semmelweis in 1969, on its 200th anniversary. Since then, they had been working not only to preserve the legacy of Semmelweis and the predecessors, but also to extend it. “There is no surgery today that does not begin with Semmelweis’s handwashing regimen. Nevertheless, Ignác Semmelweis’s life was full of hardship: His discovery that lack of proper handwashing was the cause of puerperal fever was rejected by the medical community of his day. But Semmelweis persisted in his conviction because he knew that science proved him right. This is what his story teaches us: Never to be content with merely doing our duty, always to try to do more and do our work even better. And when problems arise, we should not avoid them but try to solve them,” the rector emphasized. Semmelweis University is now the best higher education institution in Hungary and the Central and Eastern European region, listed among the world’s top 300 in Times Higher Education’s 2025 World University Rankings.
Sarintip Tantanee, President of the University of Naresuan, called it an honor that the sculpture of Ignác Semmelweis, whose revolutionary discovery had saved the lives of millions, was erected on the campus of the Faculty of Medical Science, symbolizing the close cooperation between the two institutions. Semmelweis University owes thanks to Dr. Sándor Sipos, Ambassador of Hungary to Thailand, for his support in the project.
The ceremony was held as part of the Semmelweis University delegation’s visit to Thailand, led by the university’s rector. The visit aimed to enhance the international reputation of Semmelweis University and its namesake, as well as to further strengthen Hungarian-Thai relations and the scientific and educational cooperation between the two universities.
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During their three-day stay, the delegation visited Mahidol and Naresuan Universities, where Dr. Béla Merkely gave several presentations about Semmelweis University and the advancement of his narrower discipline, cardiology in Hungary.
At Mahidol University, a memorandum of understanding between the two universities was signed, while at Naresuan University, following the sculpture inauguration ceremony, the university leaders and members of the Hungarian delegation discussed further opportunities for cooperation. As part of the inter-institutional meetings, the highly acclaimed biopic about Ignác Semmelweis was also screened on both campuses for students and faculty to learn about Semmelweis’s discovery of the cause and prevention of puerperal fever.
Naresuan University, a public university in northern Thailand, was founded in 1990 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of King Naresuan’s accession to the throne. Almost 20,000 students attend its 16 faculties. A delegation from the university paid a visit to Budapest in 2016, where they were welcomed by then Vice-Rector Dr. Béla Merkely. In 2021, four students from Naresuan University received their academic qualification from Semmelweis.
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To mark the 200th birth anniversary of Ignác Semmelweis in 2018, Semmelweis University decided to donate sculptures depicting one of the world’s most famous physicians, the “savior of mothers,” to various medical schools outside Hungary. Several Semmelweis sculptures can be seen in Hungary, including one in the courtyard of the Üllői Street building of the university bearing his name in Budapest, as well as ones in the cities of Miskolc and Kiskunhalas. Thanks to the initiative, there are now sculptures of Ignác Semmelweis on four continents in cities such as Tokyo, Los Angeles, Tehran, and Vienna. Prior to Thailand, Ignác Semmelweis had been commemorated in a similar way in Perugia, Italy, at the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry of Queen Mary University of London, and at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Semmelweis University will unveil the next sculpture in Florence in June.
Ádám Szabó
Translation: Dr. Balázs Csizmadia, Judit Szabados-Dőtsch
Image credit: Naresuan University, Mahidol University
