Sofia Honors Physicians with the Inaugural "In the Name of Life" Awards

On the eve of April 7 – World Health Day, the Sofia Municipality presented the inaugural “In the Name of Life” annual awards, honoring doctors and medical teams from the municipal healthcare system. This was reported by the Sofia Municipality.

The nominations were made by the medical collectives themselves—an approach that places the evaluation within the professional community and gives greater weight to the honors, the municipality noted.

A number of medical specialists were recognized with certificates, while special awards for contribution to municipal healthcare were presented to Prof. Tsvetomir Dimitrov from University First Multiprofile Hospital for Active Treatment “St. John the Baptist,” Dr. Rumen Velev from Second Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital “Sheynovo,” Assoc. Prof. Ivan Chavdarov from the Specialized Hospital for Residential Treatment of Children with Cerebral Palsy “St. Sofia,” Dr. Ani Popova from the Mental Health Center “Prof. N. Shipkovenski,” Dr. Asya Dancheva from the Center for Skin and Venereal Diseases, and Dr. Andrey Andreev from the Specialized Hospital for Rehabilitation “Pancharevo.”

The awards were presented by the Mayor of Sofia, Vasil Terziev, who emphasized the importance of a consistent policy toward specialists in the system. “If we want a functioning municipal healthcare system, we must build it around the specialists—with clear rules, predictable conditions, and a long-term commitment to them,” he stated.

The Deputy Mayor for Social Activities and Healthcare, Nadezhda Bacheva, also highlighted the significance of professional evaluation. “These awards are important because they come from colleagues. This is the most honest assessment—when the people you work with every day say that you have done your job properly,” she pointed out.

Among the official guests at the event were the Deputy Minister of Health Vladimir Afenliev, the Governor of the National Health Insurance Fund Petko Stefanovski, and the Secretary General of the Board of the Bulgarian Medical Association Dr. Valentin Peev.

With the establishment of the “In the Name of Life” awards, the Sofia Municipality begins an annual tradition aimed at providing publicity and recognition for professionalism and dedication within municipal healthcare.