Skopje, 29 December 2021 (MIA) – Prime Minister Zoran Zaev handed out on Wednesday awards to health workers in COVID centers, stressing that they deserve our utmost respect and gratitude for their humanity, care and sacrifice. “While we award health workers who have been on the frontlines in the fight against the pandemic, we’ll never forget the victims, our friends and relatives, who died as a result of the virus,” Zaev said. He underlined the importance of measures undertaken to manage the fatal nature and unpredictability of the virus, noting that authorities did everything in their power to lower the risks of the deadly diseases. Moreover, he added that stakeholders, including himself, Health Minister Venko Filipche and health workers made efforts to ensure the safety of every citizen and the entire society. Thanks to timely measures and decision, he said, the Macedonian health system remained functional during the crisis. “This was largely due to you-health workers. Through your sacrifice and commitment, we managed to reorganize the country and focus all resources on protecting public health,” Zaev stressed. He also highlighted the government’s efforts for investing in the pillars of human capital: health, education and social policy. In addition, the PM also said that his cabinet increased salaries in public health, gave health workers back their dignity and ensured better working conditions, as well as provided patients with dignified and modern access to healthcare. During his address, Zaev also said that amid the crisis, North Macedonia performed its first ever heart transplant surgery. “We also achieved significant results in reducing mortality of premature babies. In the past two years, you proved that health workers are the pillars of the health system. I’m convinced that citizens, their health and treatment will remain top priorities in the future, as will policies aimed at providing full health protection and modern healthcare,” Zaev noted.