Former health minister and renowned heart surgeon Zbigniew Religa has died after losing his battle against cancer. He was 71 years old {photo: galeria: polskie radio).

A pioneer in cardiac surgery - being part of the team to operate the first heart transplant in Poland - Religa was also a Solidarity member, a senator and presidential candidate before becoming, in October 2005, health minister in the Law and Justice-led government.

Prime minister when he became health minister, Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz told the TVN 24 news channel, Sunday evening, that Religa was a man of “strength” and a “total professional.” His other prime minister while in government, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, called him, "One of the greatest doctors in the history of Polish medicine."

The highly respected surgeon and politician was diagnosed with lung cancer while a minister in 2007.

Zbigniew Religa was frequently chosen as one of the most trusted politicians in Poland in opinion polls, and was seen as a man of great charisma. (pg)