Prince Mahidol Award Foundation

His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej graciously confers Prince Mahidol Award to the selected awardees.
Winning awardees of Prince Mahidol Award 2001 were announced at the recent press conference held at the Sayammin Building, Siriraj Hospital. The awardees are:
Sir David Weatherall of the UK (medicine) and Dr. Barry Marshall,
together with Professor Lam Sai Kit of Malaysia (public health).

The Prince Mahidol Award Foundation Under the Royal Patronage, was established on 1 January 1992 - to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of His Royal Highness Prince Mahidol. The Foundation is presided over by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. The awards are granted by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej in the Chakri Throne Hall, in the Grand Palace each year.

Consisting of a medal, a certificate and a sum of US$50,000, each award is nominated by a national medical group or health authority, individuals or groups of individuals as candidates. The nomination is submitted to the Secretary-General of the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation. The two awards are given annually to individuals or institutions demonstrating outstanding contributions to the advancement of medicine and public health throughout the world.

 

Two Outstanding Thai Awardees

Dr. Prasong Tuchinda, MD (1997)

"The Prince Mahidol Award is equal to the Noble Prize or the Ramon Macsaysay Award. It instigates more research for the benefits of society. Prince Mahidol himself is well-known worldwide for his work and contributions in medicine and public health."

In 1945, Professor Prasong Tuchinda graduated with his M.D. from Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. With further training in pediatrics and tropical medicine at the University of London, he obtained his D.T.M. & H (Eng) in 1952, in addition to a Certificate of Senior Teacher of Child Health, a course sponsored by UNICEF & WHO Sponsored Course in 1962. The Professor served as the Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University for 15 years (1969-1984).

Professor Dr. Prosong Tuchinda has been a pioneer researcher in studying the eiology, pathophysiology, pathology and clinicle manifestations, including various laboratory findings in dengue haemorrhagic fever since 1968. The knowledge gained from his researches has been applied to proper and effective treatment for Dengue Haemorrhage Fever resulted in reduction of the mortality rate from nearly 20 per cent in the past to only less than 2 per cent at the present time. Moreover his research has become a foundation for further investigations and development of more effective dengue vaccine for the prevention and control of the disease in Thailand as well as in Southeast Asian countries in the future.

Dr. Suchitra Nimmannitya, MD, MPH (1997)

"Though the death rate for Dengue Haemorrhage Fever has decreased, from 12.5% to less than 1% since 1996, our research still continues due the high rate of people being infected with the disease. Our work involved setting the correct treatment system - World Health Organisation (WHO) used our regulations as a base for the treatment as well. Today, research on Dengue Haemorrhage Fever vaccination is in process and we hoped it will provide another way for the cure."

Dr. Suchitra Nimmannitya received M.D. degree in 1954 from the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand. Obtaining M.P.H. degree in Epidemiology and Control of Infectious Diseases in 1969 from Yale University School of Medicine, Dr. Suchitra was certified Diplomate, Thai Board of Pediatrics in 1971. This is in addition to a certificate from UNICEF/WHO Course for Senior Teacher in Child Health on Teaching of Child Health and Delivery of Health Care at Institute of Child Health, University of London, UK 1976. Dr. Suchitra joined the Children's Hospital in 1957, and later appointed Chief Division of Infectious Diseases and Residency Training Programme in 1971 and became Director in 1989. Today Dr. Suchitra gives Dengue Haemorrhage Fever lectures and tours to nurses and doctors, with continuous beneficial work and research in the field.

 

Awardees

As there are two awards given each year for medicine and public health, two persons may receive one award together.

1992

Sir William Richard Shaboe Doll, United Kingdom
Outstanding research on relations between smoking and diseases.
Dr. Chen Minzheng, China
Fight against smoking in China

1993

Dr. John B. Stanbury, USA
Contribution on iodine deficiency and diseases
Dr. Ciro de Quadros, Brazil
Roles in the eradication of polio from South Africa

1994

Professor William Trager, USA
Outstanding work in the cultivation of Malaria in vitro
Dr. Ho Wang Lee, Korea
Successful isolation of Hanta virus and the study of etiology of the Hanta viral infection

1995

*Dr. Egon Diczfalusy, Sweden
His work on the use of steroid hormones in controlling the
*Professor Carl Djerassi, USA
Synthesis of the first contraceptive hormone
**Professor Frederick T. Sai, Ghana
Leading role in developing family planning in Ghana and other African nations
**Dr. Nafis Sadik, Pakistan
Family planning policies and improv ing women's health and well-being

* Receiving Medicine award together
** Receiving Public Health award together

1996

*Dr. Prasong Tuchinda, Thailand
Contribution towards effective treatment of Dengue Haemorrhage Fever
*Dr. Suchitra Nimmannitya, Thailand
Contribution towards finding an effective treatment of Dengue Haemorrhage Fever.
Professor Dr. Vincent Dole, USA
Pioneering work on the rehabilitation of people addicted to morphine and heroin, by using a chemical opium analogue

* Receiving Medicine award together
** Receiving Public Health award together

1997

*Professor Satoshi Omura, Japan
Isolation of Streptompcus Avertimidis leading to the discovery of avermectin and ivermectin
*Dr. Roy Vagelos, USA
Role in discovery of ivermectin and for the free contribution of ivermectin to treat river blindness in Africa
**Dr. Alfred Somner, USA
Supplementation of Vitamin A, leading to an improvement in mortality of children in Indonesia
**Dr. Guillermo Arroyave, Guatemala
Supplementation of Vitamin A leading to reduction of mortality of children in Guatemala and other Central American countries

* Receiving Medicine award together
** Receiving Public Health award together

1998

*Dr. Rene G. Favaloro, Argentina
Pioneering role in the development of coronary artery bypass surgery
*Dr. Harvey D. White, New Zealand
Non-invasive
thrombolytic treatment of the coronary artery of the heart
**Professor Kennedy F. Shortridge, Australia
Rapid identification and understanding of the biology of influenza virus H5N1 with outbreak in children in Hong Kong
**Dr. Margaret Chen, Hong Kong
Leadership in the control of the outbreak of H5N1 Influenza in
Hong Kong

* Receiving Medicine award together
** Receiving Public Health award together

1999

Dr. R. Palmer Beasley, USA
Recognised contribution of the understanding if the pathogenesis of HBV infection - a major viral infection of the liver, in hundreds of million people in different parts of the world
**Dr. Adetolemao O. Lucas, Nigeria
In recognition of outstanding research, leading to the improvement of health in tropical countries
**Dr. Tore Godal, Norway
For his strong commitment and selfless dedication of special programme for research and training in tropical disease which he became the embodiment for hopes and survival of millions of people in tropical area

** Receiving Public Health award together

2000

Dr. Ernesto Pollitt, Peru
The first to demonstrate the effect of even sub-clinical iron deficiency on cognitive performance of young children
Dr. David J.P. Barker, United Kingdom
Shown the people who have low birth weight or who were thin for stunted at birth, have a high rate of coronary disease and related disorders of strokes, diabetes and hypertension in adult life
Sir Richard Peto, United Kingdom
His work persuaded doctors to use tamoxifen in the treatment of breast cancer. His work also influenced national policies against tobacco by demonstrating its harmful effects in China and many other countries
Sir Iain Geoffrey Chalmers, United Kingdom
Founder of Cochrane Collaboration that aims to help people by preparing, maintaining and promoting the accessibility of systematic review of health care intervention

2001

2001
Sir David John Weatherall,
United Kingdom

A pioneering researcher on Thalassaemias in molecular genetics, haematology, pathology
and clinical medicine. His laboratory and clinical findings contribute to the treatment of Thalassaemic patients and antenatal diagnosis of the disease.
** Dr. Barry Marshall, Australia
The first to discover a new type of bacteria called “Helicobacter pylori” which can cause severe gastritis and gastric/duodenal ulcer. His findings have changed the treatment in peptic ulcer from the consumption of antacid H1 receptor or radical gastric surgery, to a short highly effective course of antibiotics.
** Prof. Lam Sai Kit, Malaysia
His discovery of a new virus “Nipah” from pigs, which caused illnesses in people, led to an effective means to control the disease.

* Receiving Medicine award together
** Receiving Public Health award together

Back to top : Back to the Bangkok Post : Index

© Copyright The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 2002
Privacy Policy
Comments to: Webmaster
Advertising enquiries to: Internet Marketing
Printed display ad enquiries to: Display Ads
Full contact details: Bangkok Post Directory

* A word from H.R.H.Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
* A Prince is born
* Joining Military Leads in Germany
* Serving the Royal Thai Navy
* By the River -The Turning Point
* Medical and Life Studies at Harvard
* Love Has Its Way
* Improving Medical Studies with the Rockefeller Foundation
* Dedicating His Soul to the Patients
* A Personal Side
* Prince Mahidol Exhibition Hall
* My Fond Memory of Prince Mahidol
* Prince Mahidol Award Foundation