4.Research Projects

• 02-21 – Incidence of Sickle Cell Anaemia in Rural Uganda
• SR-01.15-12 – Prevention of Social Pathology among Street Children in Nairobi
• SAMRS 14-21-22 – Maternal and Child Care and Prevention of Malnutrition in South Sudan
• SAMRS 18-21-24 – Rehabilitation of War-Damaged Areas of Syria and Iraq
• UN 21-12-22 – Treatment and Screening of Non-Communicable Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases among Migrants in Lebanon
• KYTR-18-24 – HIV, TB, HBV and HCV Screening among Migrants
• SAMRS 189-24 – Support for Secondary Education in Urban Afghanistan
• Knights of Columbus 12-20-24 – Rehabilitation of Educational and Healthcare Infrastructure in Post-War Iraq
• J&T – Treatment of HIV-Positive Children in Cambodia
• UNHCR 221 – Prevention and Screening of Parasitic, Mycobacterial and Viral Diseases among Migrants

Tropic Team of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work, n. o., commemorated its tenth anniversary on 19–22 July 2012.

A Celebration of Humanity, Compassion, Selflessness and Mutual Support

On Friday, 19 October 2012, in the presence of distinguished guests—Deputy Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic Erika Jurinová, Members of Parliament prof. MUDr. Eva Horváthová, PhD. and Branislav Škripek, as well as invited guests prof. Dan West, MD (USA), prof. Michael M. Costello, MD, MA (USA), prof. Stephen Szydlowwske, MHA (Poland), prof. Seminega, MD, prof. Selvaraj, MD, PhD. (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), Dr. h. c. prof. Ing. Karol Polák, DrSc., prof. Quinn, MD, and prof. Stanislaw Dawidziuk, Dr., honorary rector of the Warsaw School of Management—the celebrations began in the Aula of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work in Bratislava. The event was also attended by members of the Collegium of St. Elizabeth, including Ing. Stanislav Chovanec, PhD., Mayor of Skalica; doc. PaeDr. Jozef Božík, PhD., Mayor of Partizánske; and, following the ceremonial procession of the university’s vice-rectors and the welcoming of all present guests, members of Tropicteam and university staff, the floor was taken by the university’s Rector, Dr. h. c. prof. MUDr. Vladimír Krčméry, DrSc.

He looked back on ten years of history and recalled that the Tropicteam nonprofit organization was registered on 21 October. He emphasized the shared work and effort of many people who took part in the first aid projects for the hungry, the sick, and the dying—most of them children. In tropical conditions, often in areas affected by tribal wars but already with modern weapons, team members spent a significant part of their lives, exposing themselves to the same dangers of disease and other natural threats faced by the local population.

He warmly thanked all those who, far from the field, without even crossing a border, worked to ensure logistics. He expressed appreciation that, to carry out highly responsible and demanding tasks, the university did not need to hire a single additional employee; instead, all tasks were naturally taken on by internal staff as extra work. “Across three continents—Africa, Asia and America—150 doctors have rotated through, and currently we have 67 people deployed abroad; the farthest team is working 12,500 kilometres away in Lesotho.

However, we all think of them here, we feel as if they were sitting here with us today, and we thank them. We also think of all those who fought for us or prayed for us—those who supported and continue to support us not only morally, but also materially,” the Rector Vladimír Krčméry said at the end of his address.

He informed those present that, due to serious work commitments, the Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, Pavol Paška, had to cancel his attendance, but sent a personal letter, the contents of which the Rector shared with the audience with pleasure:

From the speech of Pavol Paška, Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic – 10th Anniversary of Tropic Team, St. Elizabeth University

“I would like to sincerely thank you for the invitation to the ceremonial event of St. Elizabeth University on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the founding of Tropic Team. … As I repeatedly emphasize, humanitarian activities—among them those carried out by Tropic Team—are all the more valuable. I wish it continued success in the future, just as I wish St. Elizabeth University to continue participating in helping the most vulnerable and to show that without solidarity and mutual support we will never fulfil the fundamental attributes of our humanity.”

Deputy Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic Erika Jurinová

At the beginning of her speech, Deputy Speaker Erika Jurinová expressed gratitude that she, too, could be part of these celebrations—celebrations that no other university in Slovakia can truly match. “I am therefore genuinely glad that we have a university that sends its students and graduates into life, to work in all corners of the world. In today’s times it is almost unbelievable. That is why we will all strive to ensure that you can continue to successfully develop your humanitarian, healthcare and missionary projects. And thank you for being here,” the Deputy Speaker concluded her brief but pointed remarks.

After the presentation of Tropic Team’s gold and bronze medals to individual coordinators as well as to distinguished international guests, professor MUDr. Juraj Benca, PhD. addressed the audience. He was also among those honoured with the Gold Medal of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work, and spoke as one of the founders of Tropic Team and an experienced surgeon whose extraordinary human and professional commitment has saved the lives of hundreds of people who, in all likelihood, would not be alive today.

Among other remarks, he said: “Despite the difficult conditions, I felt very comfortable on every mission, because these projects changed the lives of all members more or less (in Africa he met his current wife, Mgr. Art. Martina Utešená, PhD., editor’s note). We operate in 25 countries worldwide, we have 67 ongoing projects, we have treated more than 50,000 patients, and we have taken in 350 children in orphanages whose fate would otherwise have had no hope of long-term survival. But all of this is thanks above all to those who certainly had to work harder here at home than we did in tropical and subtropical zones. Even the best hockey team, if it did not have capable and high-quality staff around it—for example the person driving the ice resurfacer—could not achieve great success. And for these successes we owe thanks precisely to those people here at home. Sometimes they really had to sweat more than we did there… and for that they deserve our great gratitude.”

Prof. Stanislaw Dawidziuk, Dr., honorary rector of the Warsaw School of Management, thanked the hosts for the invitation to such an important occasion and unique celebration. He underlined and appreciated the enormous effort of the university leadership and staff, and highlighted the example of humanity and selflessness—worthy of emulation—especially because, in such a relatively short period of time, it has reached four continents of the world. He wished Tropic Team members good health and success.

To allow the ceremonial audience to see with their own eyes the assistance and work for people living in extreme poverty and extremely difficult living conditions, individual team members briefly presented their projects:

Awarding of the Title Visiting Professor

Order Name Institution / Country

1. Professor Seminega Rector of the University in Kigali – Rwanda

2. Professor Dr. Selvaray Y Subramaniam, MD Rector of the University in Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia

3. Professor Dr. Michael M. Costello, MA University of Scranton – USA

4. Professor Peter Marks University – United Kingdom

5. Prof. Dr. Daniel West, PhD. University of Scranton – USA

Awarding of Tropic Team Medals

Order Name Award

1. Prof. MUDr. Peter Benca, PhD. Gold Medal of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work

2. Dr. h. c. prof. Ing. Karol Polák, DrSc. Gold Medal of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work

3. Prof. Quinn Gold Medal of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work

4. Prof. Stanislaw Dawidziuk, Dr. Gold Medal of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work

5. M. Bartovjak Bronze Medal of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work

6. A. Peciar Bronze Medal of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work

7. M. Jančovič Bronze Medal of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work

8. M. Bencová – Utešená Bronze Medal of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work

9. L. Rabarová Bronze Medal of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work

10. A. Mamová Bronze Medal of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work

11. J. Kohutiar Bronze Medal of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work

12. L. Pašková Bronze Medal of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work

13. K. Zollerová Bronze Medal of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work

14. P. Blaškovič Bronze Medal of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work

15. M. Černáková Bronze Medal of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work

Tropic Team in Numbers and Activities

The team of doctors and social workers of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work (Tropic Team) has set records in the number of human lives saved in the world’s poorest countries. As a result of humanitarian disasters and armed conflicts (famine in Kenya on the border with Somalia, the earthquake and subsequent cholera outbreak in Haiti, unrest in South Sudan), the number of patients treated and cared for by the university’s doctors increased to 50,000 per year. Tropic Team members also perform 5,500 surgical procedures annually and provide all-day care to 342 orphans in five countries.

All of this is ensured by barely 50 members of the tropical team per year. Tropic Team currently participates—directly on site or indirectly—in 72 development projects in 25 countries worldwide across five continents. These countries include: Kenya, Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Ethiopia, Congo, Lesotho, Cambodia, Vietnam, Palau, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, India, Lebanon, Haiti, Bolivia, Honduras, Chad, Ukraine, Romania, Armenia, Serbia, Nigeria, Zambia.

“God did not hire us on this earth as maintenance workers, but to develop and multiply His gifts,” said the Rector of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work, professor MUDr. Vladimír Krčméry, DrSc. Tropic Team members actively participate in the university’s missionary and scientific projects carried out in 25 countries worldwide. At present, these include the following projects: 5 resocialization facilities for street children, 7 children’s homes providing HIV treatment, 6 children’s homes, 15 clinics, hospitals and other healthcare facilities, 5 anti-malnutrition centres, 7 higher education programmes abroad, 4 primary schools, 3 asylum centres, 1 HIV diagnostic centre, 1 humanitarian project, and 18 projects of other types. The university and its Tropic Team are today celebrating the tenth anniversary of their establishment. To date, 318 people—mainly students, staff members and PhD candidates of the university—have participated in the missions.

They were established as a non-profit organization registered at the District Office in Bratislava on 21 October 2002 under the name St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work, n. o. St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work in Bratislava, n. o. has been a member of the European University Association (EUA, Brussels) since 2011 and a signatory of the Magna Charta of the University of Bologna since 2007. It delivers 92 study programmes, three of which are offered in the Central European region only at St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work: Missionary and Charitable Work (Mgr.), Administration and Management in Healthcare (Mgr.), and Tropical Public Health (PhD). The university has the second highest share of international students in Slovakia; 2,345 students from 18 countries study there.

Of the six Olympic and Paralympic medals at the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympics, graduates of the university won 2 gold and 2 silver medals. Since 2003, St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work, n. o., and its Tropicteam have received three awards from the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic for science and technology—twice its workplaces received the “Scientific Team of the Year” award (2005–2010), and once the head of department and vice-rector of St. Elizabeth University of Health and Social Work, prof. MUDr. Štefan Galbavý, DrSc., received the Scientist of the Year award.