Brian Greenwood wins Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize
Wednesday, 26 March 2008Dr. Brian Greenwood of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has been awarded the prestigious Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize by the Japanese Foreign Ministry. Dr. Greenwood was awarded the prize for his research on the prevention of malaria, pneumonia and meningitis in African children. The Government of Japan established the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize in July 2006 in memory of Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, the legendary Japanese bacteriologist, and his contribution to medical advancement and self-sacrificing activities in Africa. One of Dr. Hideyo Noguchi's important achievements was the successful cultivation in 1911 of the bacterium that causes syphilis, which brought him to world prominence. He also demonstrated the bacterium in the brain of a patient with progressive paralysis, proving that this spirochete was the cause of the disease in 1913. Dr. Noguchi died of yellow fever whilst investigating the cause of this illness in Ghana. This is the first award since the prize was conceived in 2006. The Prize will be awarded every five years to coincide with the Tokyo International Conference on African Development. It aims to honour those who have made an outstanding contribution to both the delivery of medical services and research into infectious and other diseases in Africa, the world region facing the greatest public health challenge. Dr. Greenwood will receive his award, which consists of a citation, a medal and an honorarium, at an awards ceremony in May 2008. Dr. Greenwood comments: ' I am very proud to have been awarded this prestigious prize which honours the inspirational life of Dr. Noguchi and which recognises my contribution to medical research in Africa. This could not have been achieved without the support of many colleagues in Africa whose work is also honoured by this award'. Professor Sir Andrew Haines, Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, comments: 'On behalf of LSHTM I am delighted that the first Noguchi prize has
been awarded to Brian Greenwood for his groundbreaking research, which
has addressed a number of diseases that have caused untold suffering
and premature deaths in Africa. Brian Greenwood's work has resulted
in several effective preventive and therapeutic interventions which
are already having an impact and have greatly enhanced the prospects
of survival of many millions of people. It is very gratifying that his
sustained commitment to Africa over several decades has been recognized
in this way'. | 
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