MediFutura: 16 top health professionals took over the Health Minister's Prize

Unique event From the hands of the Minister of Health of the Slovak Republic Kamila Šaška took over 16 exceptional health professionals for an extraordinary contribution. Their common denominator is self-sacrifice, empathy, humanity and especially the best skills and abilities that Slovak health can rely on. President Peter Pellegrini and Chairman of the National Council of the Slovak Republic Richard Raši participated in the gala.The first principle is respect and mutual respect. And the other principle is teamwork. And exactly these two values, these two principles are combined in a motto that defines the unique event of MediFutura. At one point he met literally and to the letter the whole health sector. We are interested in young people and we are grateful if they decide to take care of us, our parents, our children for the next decades. Together we're one team, said Health Minister Kamil Šaško.
Among the winners is Slavomír Gruška, director of the Rescue Health Service Bratislava, whose professional journey started as an ambulance driver and culminated in top management. Under his leadership, the Bratislava Rescue Service became a visible and respected institution. The ideal candidate for public award is also Eva Jakušová, an ambulance at Klinika internal medicine, who has been in the Faculty Hospital Trnava continuously since 1985 and has dedicated her entire career to health work. Her lifelong work demonstrates humility and devotion to the health mission. Or Katarína Hrašnová, director of the Secondary School of Health in Trnava, which made this school a modern educational center.
The award is also Marek Madro, psychologist, director of the civic association IP, founder of the Crisis Line of Assistance, or Maria Tóthová, sister in the department of oncology and mobile hospice Nezábudka FNsP Nové Zámky, who with extraordinary self-sacrificing care of severely ill cancer patients.

Marta Baričičová, Deputy for Nursing, who has worked for 49 years at the University Hospital Bratislava, as she says, is one of the lucky ones who have had the opportunity to do their whole life a job that fills them and gives them the opportunity to make the world better. The recording of the STVR event will be broadcast on May 9, 2026.
List of awarded health professionals:

1. Ing. Slavomir Gruška, MBA, Director Rescue health services Bratislava (has brought the necessary peace and conceptuality to the organization, under its leadership, staff and process stabilized)
2. Bc. Eva Marcineková, Head of Radiological Technician, Hospital AGEL Zvolen a.s. (prepares operations and co-workers for screening mammographic workplace, involved in the introduction of innovative new procedures and in setting up processes at the workplace)
3. Ing. Dalibor Lojko, physicist, Hospital AGEL Komárno s.r.o. (he significantly contributed to the implementation of the latest radiotherapy methods and radiation techniques, excellent success at the international comparative competition in the preparation of radiation plans).
4. PhDr. Eva Vaská, PhD., MPH, head specialist of MZ SR for physiotherapy, Slovak Chamber of Physiotherapists (founder of the field of physiotherapy in Slovakia and important personality, which significantly influenced its legislative, professional, educational and clinical anchoring. It has earned the transformation of the profession of rehabilitation worker into a physiotherapist)
5. Eva Jakušová, sanitary, Clinic of Internal Medicine, Faculty Hospital Trnava (acts in FN Trnava continuously since 1985 and has devoted its entire career to health work)
6. Mr Andrea Horváthová, Medical Laborant with specialization, Haematological Transfusion Department, Dunajská Streda Hospital (at its workplace plays a key role in ensuring accurate and safe laboratory diagnostics in the field of haematology and transfusiology, which is essential for proper treatment of patients, rational use of blood and safe haemotherapy)
7. PhDr. Tatiana Bonesová, PhD., MPH, patient safety expert, Penta Hospitals network (her work has a measurable impact on the higher quality and safety of healthcare provided and inspires teams across hospitals)

• PhDr. Katarína Hrašnová, PhD., MPH, Director of the Secondary Health School in Trnava (under its leadership, the school has become a modern educational center that responds to current needs of practice)
• doc. Mgr. Martina Bašková, PhD., pedagogue of JLF Martin, midwifery assistance (served to introduce the first and until now only Master's study program birth assistance in Slovakia, thus making a significant contribution to strengthening the professional position of the profession. Through its long-term pedagogical, scientific and professional activities it contributes significantly to the development of education and to the strengthening of the position of birth assistance in Slovakia)
• PhDr. Martina Tulpíková, MBA, Deputy for Nursing Care, Faculty Hospital Trenčín (working at the Faculty Hospital Trenčín 37 years old, played a key role in the digitisation of nursing processes, successful introduction of electronic nursing documentation significantly reduced the administrative burden of nurses in FN Trenčín, modernised nursing standards)
• PhDr. Marek Madro, PhD., MBA, psychologist, Civic Association IP (significantly contributed to the system development of available, free and anonymous psychological assistance in Slovakia)
• PhDr. Mary Tóthová, a nurse at the Department of Oncology and Mobile Hospice Nezábudka FNsP Nové Zámky (with extraordinary self-sacrifice she cares for severely ill cancer patients, co-creating a new mobile hospice and initiating cooperation with religious nurses)
• Mgr. Tatiana Maďarová, MPH, head nurse and perfuziologist, Clinic of Anesthesiology and Intensive Medicine VÚSCH, a.s. (was the first nurse who was recognized in 2017 as a specialist in the field of perfuziology, is the first author of Standard Diagnostic and Therapeutic Practices in the management of nursing care for the patient on venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation)
• PhDr. Elena Drapáčová, head of midwife, FNsP F. D. Roosevelta Banská Bystrica (as the main specialist of MZ SR for midwifery actively influences the direction of the profession at national level)
• Janka Ďurajková, sister Departments of Clinical and Radiation Oncology of the FNsP Žilina (first started introducing innovative central inputs " PORTOV for cancer patients)
• Ms Marta Baričičová, Deputy for Nursing at University Hospital Bratislava (introduced new nursing procedures, organizes conferences for nurses and participates in the education system of future nurses).

The project is funded by the European Union, the NextGenerationEU under the Slovak Republic's Recovery and Resilience Plan and co-financed by the European Union under the Slovak Programme.