In memory of Dr Semmelweis

A ceremony was held at the World Health Organization Headquarters on 25 January 2019 on the occasion of Hungary's donation of Dr Semmelweis statue. While his simple, but eye-opening scientific discovery – wash your hands – is universally accepted and still relevant today, Semmelweis was not able to convince other doctors of its validity, during his life in the 19th century. It was not until years after his death that Semmelweis's practice earned widespread acceptance, when Louis Pasteur confirmed the germ theory and Joseph Lister, acting on the French microbiologist's research, practiced and operated, using hygienic methods, with consistent, successful results. In 2014, Ignaz Semmelweis’s discoveries relating to puerperal fever (dating from 1847-1861) were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The donation of the Semmelweis bust to WHO is an initiative of the Universities of Semmelweis and Szeged in Hungary.