At the handover of a world-class neurosurgery operating theatre at the University of Szeged on Saturday, the minister of innovation and technology declared that Hungary’s health industry was poised to achieve “outstanding results”.

László Palkovics said Hungary’s health industry was growing by 5-6 percent a year, and more than a third of patent applications came from this sector.

He said rampant Hungarian economic growth was linked to high-tech manufacturing and the services sector, adding that Hungarian exports have the highest high-tech value-added component in the EU.

Palkovics said a medical education was based on bridging education, research and clinical care. Practical training is becoming more and more important, he said, adding that the right tools, such as the new surgical complex in Szeged, were needed.

Palkovics noted the government’s decision to separate funds for medical research and scientific health research.