For many years of conscientious work, for exemplary performance of official duties, personal initiative and dedication, and high professionalism, two employees of the State Institution "Territorial Medical Association of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Ternopil region" received diplomas from the Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov.

Halyna Levchuk is a nurse of the hospital with a polyclinic, and Natalia Senashenko-Bandura is a laboratory assistant of chemical and bacteriological analysis at the Center for Preventive Medicine of the Territorial Medical Association of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Ternopil region.

Halyna Levchuk has been working in medicine for 35 years. The woman says that her mother, who also worked as a nurse in the district hospital, helped her to choose her future profession.

After the eighth grade, Halyna Rostyslavivna entered the Rivne Medical School, and three years later the eighteen-year-old girl got a job in the medical and sanitary part of the combined plant, which became the best practical school of life for her, where she learned to do everything.

- At first, it was extremely difficult, because I was put on duty in the manipulation room. I had to learn how to take blood, collect bile, put jars, conduct probing, treat and suture wounds, suture, take care of postoperative patients.

Halyna Levchuk joined the Territorial Medical Association after the reorganization of the medical unit in 1997.

During COVID-19, in addition to her main duties, the nurse also took on additional work. The woman is in direct contact with potential patients: she takes PCR tests and transports all tests to the laboratory and back. However, despite everything, Halyna Levchuk has never regretted her chosen profession and is happy to do all the work.

The Minister's award was also given to Natalia Senashenko-Bandura - laboratory assistant of chemical and bacteriological analysis. Natalia's daily work is to receive, and register patients, as well as take tests from them for preventive purposes to fill out medical books. During the pandemic, her duties also include taking tests from patients with coronavirus infection.

- It was morally hard at first. No one knew what we faced, and how to protect ourselves and our families. Everyone was worried. But we studied for it, and we have to do our job in any conditions. Helping people is my main task. We never openly go out to patients, but always protect them.

If at the beginning about 40 people came to the laboratory per day, now the number of patients has decreased by about half.

Natalia Senashenko-Bandura loves her job and has been wearing a white coat for 30 years. Since school, she liked the profession of a medical worker. Her grandmother, a nurse, was also a role model. The work is responsible because the patient's treatment and life depend on the perfect analysis.

On behalf of Arsen Avakov, the head of the State Institution "TMO of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Ternopil region" - doctor Mykhailo Vasylyshyn handed over the diplomas to the workers.

- Your profession is difficult, responsible, and often invisible, but extremely important and irreplaceable. I wish you all the best: happiness, health, prosperity, and success in your noble work! Love, Peace, and Goodness! I wish you to use your skills and abilities only in peaceful life!