His Majesty The King To Present Prince Mahidol Award To Four Laureates

[Jai Dee]

His Majesty the King to present Prince Mahidol Award to four laureates

His Majesty the King Bhumibhol Adulyadej is about to present the Prince Mahidol Award prizes to four doctors who have been dedicating their life to discover the diarrhea treatment, which has saved three million people from the deadly disease each year.

At 17.30 hrs. today, the award presentation will be held at the Chakri Throne Hall in the Grand Palace. Of the 59 outstanding nominees from 29 countries, Professor Dr. Stanley G. Schultz from USA was picked as winner in the filed of medicine while three other laureates in the field of public health are Dr. David R. Nalin from USA, Dr. Richard A. Cash also from USA, and Dr. Dilip Mahalanabis from India.

This group of medical professionals had dedicated their lives to the discovery, the introduction, and the widespread use of “Oral Rehydration Solultion (ORS) or Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT).” This simple, inexpensive, but effective treatment of severe diarrhea has saved more than 3 million lives each year.

On this occasion, His Majesty the King has graciously designated Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to host dinner in honour of the Awardees at Boromrajasathitmaholarn (บรมราชสถิตย์มโหฬาร) Hall on the same evening at 19.00 hrs.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 31 January 2007

[Jai Dee]

Royal Address of His Majesty the King on the Occasion of the Presentation Ceremony of the Prince of Mahidol Awards for 2006

I am pleased to present the Prince Mahidol Awards for the year 2006 today (Jan 31). I would like to thank the Board of Trustees and everyone concerned for all the work you haved successfully carried out to honour His Royal Highness Prince Mahidol of Songkla.

It is well known that the study and research on medical science and public health including the application of new discoveries are not easy to achieve. Those who work in these fields must have total conviction in their work, selfless dedication and complete proficiency to achieve final success. I therefore extend my sincere congratulations to Prof. Dr. Stanley G. Schultz, Dr. David R. Nalin, Dr. Richard A. Cash and Dr. Dilip Mahalanabis who are the recipients of the Prince of Mahidol Awards for the year 2006. I am happy to say also that the results of the great work which everyone of you have studied and researched with dedication are significant achievements which benefit peoples from all walks of life worldwide. You are all therefore excellent examples of those who truly perform good deeds for the sake of goodness because such achievements are not meant for any individual but for the benefit of mankind as a whole.

I wish each and everyone of you who are gathered here for this Ceremony happiness, success, well-being, and progress, always.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 01 February 2007

[Jai Dee]

HM the King honours recipients of the 2006 Prince Mahidol Award

His Majesty the King last night honoured four scientists, three Americans and one Indian, with the Prince Mahidol Award for their outstanding contributions to medicine and public health in a ceremony at the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall.

Prof. Dr. Stanley G. Schultz, Dr. David R. Nalin, Dr. Richard A. Cash and Dr. Dilip Mahalanabis were chosen out of 59 nominees from 29 countries to receive the prestigious award.

In his televised address, His Majesty the King recognized the awardees’ total conviction in their work, as well as their selfless dedication and complete proficiency. His Majesty said the results of the great work that each awardee had studied and researched with dedication are significant achievements which benefit peoples from all walks of life worldwide.

“You are all therefore excellent examples of those who truly perform good deeds for the sake of goodness because such achievements are not meant for any individual but for the benefit of mankind as a whole.”

Professor Dr. Stanley G. Schultz, a professor of the Department of Integrative Biology Pharmacology, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Texas, U.S.A. received the award in the field of medicine for his work on glucose and sodium absorption in the small intestine, which provided the scientific foundation for the use of the oral rehydration solution consisting of salt, sugar and water in the treatment of dehydration in diarrhea patients.

Dr. David R. Nalin from USA, Dr. Richard A. Cash also from USA, and Dr. Dilip Mahalanabis from India were recognized with the award for public health for their findings which have sequentially contributed to the application of the oral rehydration solution in the treatment of severe diarrhea worldwide, including Thailand. Dr. Nalin, Dr. Cash, a senior lecturer on international health at Havard University School of Public Health, Boston, and their colleagues successfully tested the efficacy of an oral glucose-electrolyte solution, later known as oral rehydration therapy (ORT) to be used instead of intravenous fluid for the treatment of patients with severe cholera. It is estimated that each year around 500 million packs of the oral rehydration solution is used in more than 60 developing countries, saving millions of lives around the world.

Dr. Dilip Mahalanabis, the Director of the Society for Applied Studies in Kolkata, India, used the ORT in the refugee camps which accommodated 350,000 refugees in West Bengal during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. This was the first large-scale use of oral rehydration solution in a disaster situation. As a result, it gained the International Health Organizations' recognition and its application was spread worldwide.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 01 February 2007