Putin presents Best Doctor of the Year awards
As soldiers fought on the battlefield, doctors did everything possible to save their lives. In the time of war, a wounded soldier's strong heartbeat was the best reward for Soviet military doctors. Yesterday, it was Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's turn to present government awards to veteran doctors as the pride of the Russian medical field.
In the past, the jury of the Best Doctor of the Year awards named the top physicians in 22 medical categories and awarded them with crystal statuettes of Hygiene, the goddess of health. This year, the organisers increased the number of categories to 30, and added a category for veteran doctors to mark the 65th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War (World War II).
Putin also attended the ceremony to celebrate the occasion.
"In the extremely difficult conditions of front-line hospitals, military doctors, paramedics, nurses, and orderlies put 17 million Soviet soldiers and officers back on their feet," the prime minister said, addressing the audience. "Just think about this figure!"
The audience responded immediately, bursting into a standing ovation that lasted at least a minute. Putin gestured for permission to continue his speech.
"Very soon, we will mark the 65th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War," he said. "I believe it's absolutely appropriate that a special award will be presented today to medical service veterans who fought in the war. Their courage, patriotism, and ability to work in the most difficult conditions are a worthy example of their service and dedication to their profession."
As in other categories, three winners were selected among the veterans. The first-place award was presented to Alexander Shapovalov, who has fought in three wars. In 1939, as part of a mobile medical unit, he fought at Khalkhin Goll in Mongolia and was personally decorated by Marshal Zhukov.
In 1940, he was assigned to the Finnish front and took part in the fighting as a junior doctor. During the Great Patriotic War, Shapovalov fought on the Don, Stalingrad, Leningrad, and First and Second Baltic fronts.
The renowned ophthalmologist, medical service Major General Veniamin Volkov, won the second-place prize. He treated the fighters of the 34th Guards Rifle Division up to the very end of the war.
Their colleague, Irina Vinogradova, the third-place winner, led the surgical department at a front-line evacuation hospital during the war.
The winners will receive a special cash prize established by the government. The first-place winner will receive 500,000 roubles, the second-place winner will receive 300,000 roubles, and the third-place winner will receive 200,000 roubles," Putin said. The news will certainly please them.
Putin went on to say that the millions of roubles the government has so far invested in developing modern medicine, constructing advanced medical facilities, and fighting cancer and cardiovascular diseases are yielding tangible results.
Overall, providing quality medical services to the public and decent salaries for doctors is a primary task for the government, the prime minister stressed.
By Anastasia Savinykh