Dr Blagomir Zdravkov, head of the St Anastasia children's hospital in Burgas, has received a special award in the "Doctors We Trust" initiative. It was the 16th ceremony, and more than 800 doctors have now been honoured.

A national newspaper runs the initiative. It picks doctors whom patients trust and value. The guests included the prime minister, the health minister and the head of the health insurance fund.

Dr Zdravkov said the award recognises the work of his teachers, to whom he and his colleagues owe what they are today.

"Our most important task, together with the state, is to make sure every child gets good medical care, wherever they live," he told BNT.

Four obstetrician-gynaecologists were also honoured: Dimitar Markov, Ivan Kostov, Maria Yunakova and Prof Asen Nikolov of the Maichin Dom specialist maternity hospital. Prof Nikolov said the award was for all obstetrician-gynaecologists and midwives in Bulgaria.

"In medicine, there is no other field where crying makes people happy. I wish for more and more newborns crying, and more and more joy," he told BNT.

Dr Zdravkov spoke when the Burgas children's hospital signed a five-year agreement with the Trakya University hospital in Edirne on 8 October. Under the deal, the two hospitals will exchange doctors. In October we also reported on the delegation from Edirne that visited the Burgas hospital.

Two young doctors received a "Doctors We Trust" certificate from the health minister.