State-of-the art facilities, outstanding care
On January 19, a new chapter began for the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Szeged’s Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center as patient care commenced in its new Pediatric Emergency Unit, followed by the official inauguration ceremony on February 24. This milestone development strengthens pediatric healthcare by providing a modern, child-friendly environment and optimizing patient pathways – resulting in a measurable improvement in both the quality and efficiency of care delivered to children and their families.
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| The waiting area and examination rooms of the new Pediatric Emergency Unit. Photo Gallery by Ádám Kovács-Jerney |
Because emergency care, trauma services, and surgery are integral to pediatric healthcare, the comprehensive renewal of the pediatric surgical operating suite marks a transformative step in the clinic’s development. Fully operational since mid-December, the new facility provides a truly state-of-the-art surgical environment, raising the standard of care to a new level. Its modern infrastructure enhances patient safety while also ensuring optimal working conditions for medical teams – further strengthening the clinic’s long-term commitment to excellence in pediatric surgery.
Reflecting the strategic importance of the investment, the inauguration ceremony was attended by Prof. Dr. László Rovó, Rector of the University of Szeged; Dr. Judit Fendler, Chancellor of the University of Szeged; Dr. Csaba Bereczki, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Pediatrics at SZTE’s Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center; and Dr. Orsolya Surján, Hungary’s Chief Medical Officer.
Dr. Judit Fendler, Prof. Dr. László Rovó, Dr. Orsolya Surján, and Dr. Csaba Bereczki. Photo: István Sahin-Tóth
Operating rooms built to world-class standards
In his welcoming address, Prof. Dr. László Rovó emphasized that the successful completion of the project was the result of sustained collaboration and a shared commitment maintained over many years. “This inauguration is especially close to my heart,” the Rector said, recalling that he himself had once operated in the very surgical suites that have now been fully renovated. “Today, we can confidently state that nearly all of our operating rooms meet world-class standards.”
The Rector also highlighted how meaningful it was that Prof. Dr. Kristóf Füzesi honored the ceremony with his presence. As a leading architect of pediatric surgery in Szeged, Professor Füzesi played a pivotal role in establishing the city’s first independent pediatric surgery department and is widely recognized for leading the landmark 1998 separation of the conjoined twins from Kispereg, a small village in Romania – a procedure that attracted national and international attention and remains a milestone in Hungarian pediatric surgery.
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| The new operating room of the Pediatric Clinic. Photo Gallery by Ádám Kovács-Jerney |
A multi-phase development
“Perhaps this has been one of the most complex and demanding investments the University has undertaken in the past six to eight years,” said Dr. Judit Fendler, Chancellor of the University of Szeged, in her ceremonial address.
The Chancellor recalled that the renewal of the Pediatric Clinic’s historic Klebelsberg building began in 2018–2019 and has progressed in carefully structured phases ever since. In total, HUF 3.2 billion has been invested in strengthening pediatric healthcare in Szeged. Of this amount, HUF 1.9 billion in European Union funding supported major medical equipment upgrades, while government funding totaling HUF 1.3 billion covered the comprehensive modernization of the surgical operating suite and the Pediatric Emergency Unit. Within this allocation, HUF 971 million was dedicated to the renewal of the operating block and HUF 312.5 million to the modernization of the emergency unit.
Dr. Judit Fendler. Photo: István Sahin-Tóth
The Chancellor also emphasized that the development of the Department of Pediatrics and the Pediatric Health Care Center at the University of Szeged’s Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center required substantial and sustained institutional commitment. Between 2018 and 2025, a total of HUF 8.68 billion was invested in advancing pediatric care, including HUF 3.16 billion from the University’s own resources and HUF 5.52 billion secured from various external funding sources.
The Chancellor further noted that the University’s foundation-based operational model has provided greater financial flexibility, enabling more strategic management of institutional reserves. “The systematic modernization of our clinical and academic infrastructure reflects responsible and forward-looking financial management over the past four to five years,” she said. “Owing to the professional excellence of the University of Szeged, we are able to attract the resources required to continuously strengthen our clinical activities, upgrade medical technologies, and further enhance our infrastructure.”
Photo: István Sahin-Tóth
A major step forward in patient safety
Dr. Orsolya Surján, Hungary’s Chief Medical Officer, stated that investments of this scale embody the true purpose of regulatory oversight: building safer and more resilient healthcare systems. She emphasized that modern infrastructure is not merely a matter of appearance, but a fundamental pillar of patient safety and quality assurance.
“Throughout the renovation project, particular attention was given to the strict separation of clean and contaminated zones at the facilities, ensuring full compliance with professional and public health standards,” the Chief Medical Officer noted, adding that she had personally inspected the facilities. “It is a significant achievement that, in close cooperation with the University of Szeged, we were able to implement a development that strengthens both patient safety and the long-term sustainability of pediatric care.”
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| Pediatric Emergency Unit. Photo Gallery by Ádám Kovács-Jerney |
Delivering faster, more targeted care
Dr. Csaba Bereczki, Director of the Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Health Care Center at the University of Szeged’s Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, described the inauguration as a truly significant milestone in the life of the Pediatric Clinic. He emphasized that the impact of the development extends far beyond the institution itself – it directly affects the nearly 220,000 children whose care the clinic oversees each year.
As the Director explained, pediatric medicine has undergone a fundamental transformation over the past decade. Whereas extended hospital stays were once considered standard practice, today the focus is on rapid and precise diagnosis, timely intervention, and minimizing the length of hospitalization.
Photo: István Sahin-Tóth
The Pediatric Emergency Unit delivers comprehensive care for pediatric emergency, trauma, and surgical cases through a single-entry system. This streamlined structure ensures that children requiring urgent or more complex treatment are admitted via a unified intake process coordinated by the Emergency Unit, enabling rapid and safe transfer to the appropriate department for specialized care.
By simplifying patient pathways and facilitating more targeted diagnostic evaluations, the new system reduces uncertainty for families and helps ensure that young patients receive the right care at the right time – without unnecessary delays.
“This is not merely a visible upgrade – it represents one of the most meaningful investments in patient safety we have undertaken,” Dr. Bereczki said in closing. “With clearly structured patient pathways and dedicated care areas, children can now be diagnosed and begin treatment within three to six hours of admission. This is the standard our profession calls us to uphold – and the level of care every child and every family deserves.”
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| Ceremonial presentation of the symbolic key to the Pediatric Emergency Unit. Photo Gallery by István Sahin-Tóth |
Bringing the ceremony to a close, Prof. Dr. László Rovó, Dr. Judit Fendler, and Dr. Orsolya Surján presented Dr. Csaba Bereczki with the symbolic key to the new Pediatric Emergency Unit at the University of Szeged’s Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, formally marking the beginning of a new chapter in pediatric care in Szeged and the wider region.
Original Hungarian article by Tímea Fülöp
Feature photo: Prof. Dr. László Rovó, Dr. Judit Fendler, Dr. Csaba Bereczki, and Dr. Orsolya Surján. Photo by István Sahin-Tóth
