Uganda’s cardiovascular surgeon Prof Francis Omaswa has won the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize in the Medical Services Category for the third time.
Prof Omaswa, the Founder and Executive Director of the African Centre for Global Health and Social Transformation (ACHEST) was announced a winner in Tokyo on April 25, 2019 by the government of Japan.
According to the statement by the Japanese government, “the third Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize for Medical Services goes to Dr. Francis Gervase Omaswa for his dedication to addressing the global health workforce (HWF) crisis.”
The Prize aims to honor individuals or organizations with outstanding achievements in the fields of medical research and medical services to combat infectious and other diseases in Africa, thus contributing to the health and welfare of the African people and of all humankind (Cabinet Decision of July 28, 2006).
– Prof Omaswa –
Dr. Francis Gervase Omaswa gave up practicing heart surgery in London to return to Africa starting with the Republic of Kenya and then the Republic of Uganda, building clinical and surgical capacities in his home continent and country.
Over the three decades since, Dr. Omaswa has become a world leader in development of international systems for the support, training and efficient utilization of health workforces particularly on the African continent. He led the drafting and convening the First Global Forum on HWF and inspiring the adoption of the Kampala Declaration and Agenda for Global Action that now guides the global response.
Dr. Omaswa has brought wisdom to the global stage, serving on the boards of Global Stop TB Partnership, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Independent Review Committee of GAVI – the Vaccine Alliance and as founder and Executive Director of the Global Health Workforce Alliance.
Today he leads multiple efforts aimed at creating health systems and workforces that can propel Africa towards realization of the “Health for All” aspirations of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Dr Omaswa’s contribution to these health services accomplishments is primarily through his extraordinary ability as a teacher, mentor, colleague and friend who nurtures leadership potential everywhere he goes.
In his appreciation message, Dr Omaswa thanked the government and people of Uganda for the support and encouragement over the years.
He urged all Ugandans and Africans at large to serve willingly, deligently and selflessly knowing that the world is always watching them.
The awarding ceremony of the Third Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize hosted by Prime Minister will be organized on August 30 in Tokyo on the occasion of the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 7) to be held in Yokohama from August 28 to 30 with African leaders’ participation. The Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize is composed of a citation, a medal and an honorarium.
