Hungarian military doctor is the face of EUFOR

During the next period, the inhabitants of Bosnia and Herzegovina will not only encounter EUFOR patrols, convoys and Liaison and Observation Teams (LOT), but also a Hungarian peacekeeper of the mission appearing on billboards and means of public transport, in newspapers, radio programs and television channels. Besides the EUFOR mission, her face represents the air Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) capability within it as well.

Through her father, Lieutenant Tóth is descended from a military family. She was equally attracted by the military and the medical career paths, so while attending the medical university for years, she successfully applied for the Lázár Mészáros Scholarship of the Ministry of Defence. After the diploma award ceremony and the basic training, she started her military service at the Emergency Room (ER) Department of the Central Hospital of Northern Pest – Military Hospital. Her specialty is emergency medicine and oxiology.

Time after time, military missions abroad are interposed between her tasks as hospital resident doctor and her preparation for the qualification exam. She completed her previous tour of duty in December 2023 at the Medical Center of the Hungarian KFOR Tactical Reserve Battalion in Novo Selo, Kosovo, and then, following pre-deployment training for the EUFOR mission and for MEDEVAC, she served with the largest military mission of the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina for altogether two months, in this April and June, respectively.

Dr. Anna Tóth’s daily routine in the EUFOR mission is determined by the alternating periods of stand-by and rest. During her three times 24-hour standby duty, she is required to stay at the helicopter base of Camp Butmir from dawn to dusk, and neither can she leave the camp afterwards. Her duty service is followed by an equal rest period of three days.

The continuous deployability of the MEDEVAC capability provided by a specially equipped H145M Airbus helicopter of the Hungarian Defence Forces is ensured by two teams consisting of aircrews and medics serving on a rotational basis. It is essential that members of the life-saving team can understand each other even without words – let’s just think about the constant roar of the rotor. Lieutenant Tóth is speaking highly of the harmony of the team, highlighting Warrant Officer Tamás Szilágyi, a paramedic performing his duties beside her.

Following her tour of duty in June, the Hungarian doctor will not be separated from EUFOR, as she will return to Sarajevo in the autumn to protect again the health of EUFOR troops.

EUFOR Operation Althea is the largest military mission of the European Union, which took over peacekeeping tasks from NATO in Bosnia and Herzegovina at its start nearly 20 years ago, on 2 December 2004. EUFOR performs its activities under a UN mandate, and its main task is to support local authorities with maintaining a safe and secure environment (SASE). Among other things, EUFOR implements this mandate by disposing of munitions and explosives and deactivating weapons, supporting the humanitarian demining processes as well as conducting joint training programs with the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Currently troops from 23 countries are deployed with Operation Althea, the commander of which has been Hungarian Major General László Sticz PhD for a year since January 2024. Hungary has been participating in the EUFOR mission since the beginnings with staff, support and maneuver forces in the interest of preserving the stability of the Western Balkans and at once the peace of Hungary. During their engagement with an increased troop level in the year of Hungarian command, the Hungarian Defence Forces’ contribution includes, among others, one in-theatre and one over-the-horizon (Intermediate Reserve) maneuver company, an EOD K9 team, a military police team, as well as airlift and air MEDEVAC capabilities.