King to present Prince Mahidol Awards

Two of the honoured physicians, Professor Axel Ullrich and Dr Sanduk Ruit, Tuesday revealed that His Majesty's father Prince Mahidol were their source of inspiration.

Dr Ruit, medical director of the Tilganga Eye Centre in Nepal, said Prince Mahidol was his idol and an inspiration for why he worked for the poor.

He has heard that the prince had graduated and went abroad to further his studies, before coming back to his homeland to develop this country and work for his people. This encouraged him to serve patients with compassion.

Dr Ruit and Prof Basil Stuart Hetzel, chairman emeritus of the International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders in Australia, were both recognised for their achievements in public health.

Prof Ullrich, director of molecular biology at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Germany, said he was impressed by the activities of Prince Mahidol and the royal family, which had done much for society here.

Poor people should benefit from competition among big pharmaceutical companies, which would drive down the price of drugs and allow them greater access to drugs in the near future, he said. The rivalry would also help firms reduce and eliminate sideeffects from using drugs, particularly those for cancer.

Prof Ullrich won this year's award for the field of medicine. He has played a leading role in the study of the molecular mechanisms of cancer and pioneered the concept of targeted cancer therapy.

The recipients will be granted a royal audience at the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall. They will receive a prize of Bt1.5 million each.

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will preside over a gala dinner to honour the awardees in the evening.

The Prince Mahidol Awards have been conferred annually since 1992 upon individuals or institutions demonstrating outstanding and exemplary contributions to the advancement of medicine and public health for humanity.

Prof Hetzel said it was a great honour to receive the award from His Majesty because the award has been conferred on a person who work for others in the field of public health.

He said seeing patients recover and lead a normal life was the inspiration for him to conduct his work and research.

He suggests Thai scientists and medical workers look for a cure for malaria.

"Malaria is a major problem for public health here in Thailand and other parts of the world. Even if the research will not bring fame to those who are studying it, it could help those in the rest of the world waiting for treatment," he said.

by Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation