These medical professionals were involved in actions carried out abroad in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as in organising medical missions, including in Italy and Tajikistan, where Polish health staff offered assistance to local hospitals. They also helped to test thousands of lorry drivers, both Polish and foreign citizens, that at Christmas time in 2020 were stuck in Dover, UK, when France closed its border with the United Kingdom. The awardees took part in organising and coordinating medical evacuations of the MFA staff and carried out vaccination campaigns for the personnel of Polish diplomatic and consular missions in Belgium and Ukraine, as well as for the staff of OSCE missions. Additionally, they were all involved in providing medical care during the extremely challenging evacuation mission from Afghanistan in August 2021.

The Bene Merito honorary distinctions were awarded to the following medical professionals:

·        Adam Burakowski, MD, PhD, Deputy Director of Medical Affairs at the Polish Medical Air Rescue

·        Sławomir Butkiewicz, coordinator of emergency medical service at the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Warsaw // chief inspector, head of the Medical Support Section at the Police Central Counterterrorist Unit BOA

·        Prof. Robert Gałązkowski, MD, Director of the Polish Medical Air Rescue

·        Michał Hampel, MD, PhD, doctor at the Gastroenterological Surgery and Transplantology Clinic of the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Warsaw

·        Marcin Podgórski, Deputy Director of Emergency Medical Services, Organization and Planning

·        Bartosz Wszelaki, paramedic, HEMS crew member at the Polish Medical Air Rescue

·        Artur Zaczyński, MD, PhD, Deputy Medical Director at the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Warsaw

 

Łukasz Jasina

MFA Press Spokesperson

 

Photo: Sebastian Indra / MFA