NOMINATION GUIDELINES (2021)

PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIZE

The spread of infectious diseases presents a common threat to all humankind. Mindful that Africa faces this scourge most acutely, the Government of Japan established the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize in July 2006 in memory of Dr. Hideyo Noguchi (1876-1928) whose belief in medical advancement and self-sacrificing activities in Africa remains a beacon of inspiration to all. Guided by these ideals and mindful of the ominous human suffering persisting in Africa, the region facing the most serious health challenge on the globe, the Prize aims to honor individuals and organizations active in the fields of medical research and medical services in Africa with outstanding achievements from the viewpoints of combatting infectious and other diseases as well as of promoting public health in Africa, thus contributing to the health and welfare of the African people and of all humankind.

The Prize consists of two categories: Medical Research which honors individuals and Medical Services which honors individuals and organizations.

The award ceremony will be held to coincide with the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). The recipient of the Fourth Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize will be selected in 2022.The first being awarded in 2008, the second in 2013 and the third in August 2019.

The Prize is awarded in both the medical research and medical services categories, with a citation, medal and 100 million yen (equivalent to about one million US dollars).

The selection process comprises two stages: (1) a recommendation of up to three candidates by each of the two sub-Committees, one for the medical research category established under the auspices of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and the other for the medical services category established under the African Regional Office (AFRO) of the World Health Organization, and (2) a final deliberation of the candidates is made in the two categories by the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Committee, which makes referrals to the Prime Minister for final decision.

NOMINATION GUIDELINES AND REQUIREMENTS

1. SCOPE

Medical Research

  • Basic medical research
  • Clinical medical research
  • Research in all fields of life science closely related to medicine

Medical Services

  • Field-level medical/public health activities to combat diseases and advance public health

2. ELIGIBILITY

No distinction will be made based on the nationality, age or gender of the nominees, who are limited to people still living. Nominee eligibility for the two categories are as follows:

Medical Research

  • Nominations are in principle to be for one individual. In the case of joint research, however, a maximum of three individuals will be considered.

Medical Services

  • In the case of nominating an organization, nominations are limited to one currently active organization.
  • Nominations are in principle to be one individual or one organization per activity. Under exceptional circumstances, however, when more than one individual or organization work as a team, a maximum of three individuals or organizations will be considered.

3. NOMINATION/SELECTION CRITERIA

The Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize shines a light on important research and activities carried out in the field to tackle directly issues affecting people who live in Africa. It recognizes medical research and medical service activities that call to mind Dr. Noguchi’s gallantry, frontier spirit, spirit of dedication and love for humanity. Upon these basic precepts, that the selection processes take place based on the following criteria.

Medical Research

  • The research has established original and/or milestone concepts for better understanding the pathology or the human and environmental ecology of infectious or other diseases prevalent in Africa, or has improved (1) clinical management, (2) ecological management, or (3) patient therapy relevant to such diseases.
  • The research results have in practice contributed, or will contribute in the near future, to improving measures for controlling or treating infectious or other diseases prevalent in Africa. This includes research that has had, or is expected to have, an important influence on the policies of African governments or on international agencies. This also includes research that is expected to link African researchers or African research organizations to programs and initiatives that advance international research and collaboration.
  • Research results that contribute to other regions but are centered on Africa.

Medical Services

  • The activity is aimed to fight against infectious or other diseases prevalent in Africa or to improve public health in Africa
  • The activity has broad and direct impact on the improvement of health and welfare of the African people, particularly the poor and contributes to achieving universal health coverage.
  • The activities have been carried out on-site for more than 5 years under a defined goal and structured plan. They should have results that can be sustainably developed, allowing other regions of Africa with similar conditions to derive reference or training possibilities from the results.
  • The Activities need to have evidence in scientific journals, accounting documents, reports, etc.
  • The activities should not be biased to the extent that beneficiaries are neither to be selected nor rejected based on their political, ideological or religious backgrounds.

4. NOMINATION INFORMATION

Please fill out the attached HIDEYO NOGUCHI AFRICA PRIZE NOMINATION FORM with the necessary information and submit it with the supplementary documents listed below. Please note that the evaluation of the nominee’s contributions will depend heavily on the quality of information supplied in your nomination form and supplementary documents. Therefore, your nomination should be accurate, detailed and current. Distinguished past nominees who were not awarded the Prize may be eligible for selection for this year’s Prize. It is recommended that you nominate such persons again if they are thought to have produced further contributions in the course of their work since their previous nomination. Please prepare all documents in English for Medical Research and either in English or in French for Medical Services. The nominator and nominee may not be the same person

  • Please provide a brief description of the nominee’s contributions in the area of medical research or medical services within the context of the Prize’s concept. (about 50 words)
  • Please present a brief biography including academic, administrative and/or research positions, awards and/or recognitions.
  • Please outline how and why the research/activity of the nominee has contributed to the advancement and improvement of measures against infectious and other diseases prevalent in Africa, if any. (within 2 pages)
  • Please provide the titles of publications that represent the nominee’s contributions. (Please mark 4-5 of best publications among them if there are many.)
  • Please arrange for other specialists familiar with the nominee’s work to provide supporting letters. (up to 5 letters)

Please note that nomination form and supplementary documents format (sample) may be downloaded from the following websites:
Office of Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize, Cabinet Office
Medical Research Selection Committee Secretariat
Medical Services Selection Committee Secretariat

Any personal information contained in the submitted nomination form and supplementary documents will be handled with the utmost care in accordance with the Act on the Protection of Personal Information (in the case of medical research, Act on the Protection of Personal Information Held by Incorporated Administrative Agencies, etc. and JSPS’s own regulations for protecting personal information), and will only be used as part of the selection process for the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize (including the provision of personal information to private-sector companies or other external partners for the purpose of carrying out consigned electronic data processing and data management). By submitting these nomination documents, you hereby agree to the use of said personal information for the aforementioned purposes.

5. SUBMISSION ADDRESSES

For medical research nominations, please use the electronic application system in the website of Medical Research Selection Committee Secretariat. (If not possible, please put your nomination in MS WORD or PDF format and email it to nh-africa@jsps.go.jp.)
For medical services nominations for the fourth prize, please use the electronic application system in the website of Medical Services Selection Committee Secretariat. If not possible, please put your nomination in MS WORD or PDF format and email it to both of the following addresses: noguchiprize@who.int and secretariat@hnaprize.jp. Please note that emailing to only one of the addresses above may result in your application not being processed.
If necessary, nominations may be submitted by postal mail. However, please do not fax your nominations.

Medical Research

Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Medical Research Selection Committee Secretariat
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
5-3-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083 Japan
Electronic Application System: In the website of Medical Research Selection Committee Secretariat
E-mail: nh-africa@jsps.go.jp

Medical Services

Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Medical Services Selection Committee Secretariat
WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO)
Cité du Djoué, P.O.Box 06 Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
E-mail: noguchiprize@who.int

Supporting Secretariat in Japan
(Oscar Japan Co., Ltd. providing consultancy services to WHO AFRO)
Neocity Mitaka, 3-35-1 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo 181-0013, Japan
Electronic Application System: In the website of Medical Services Selection Committee Secretariat
E-mail: secretariat@hnaprize.jp

6. DEADLINE

The nominations and supporting letters must reach the respective secretariat by no later than September 25th, 2021.
(The deadline is extended from August 20th, 2021 to September 25th, 2021.)

7. ENQUIRIES

Medical research nominations

Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Medical Research Selection Committee Secretariat
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
5-3-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083 Japan
Tel: +81-3-3263-1938/1883
E-mail: nh-africa@jsps.go.jp
URL: https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-noguchiafrica/index.html

Medical services nominations

Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Medical Services Selection Committee Secretariat
WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO)
Cité du Djoué, P.O.Box 06 Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
E-mail: noguchiprize@who.int
URL: http://www.noguchiprize.afro.who.int/

Supporting Secretariat in Japan
(Oscar Japan Co., Ltd. providing consultancy services to WHO AFRO)
Neocity Mitaka, 3-35-1 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo 181-0013, Japan
Tel. +81-422-24-6816
E-mail: secretariat@hnaprize.jp
URL: https://www.hnaprize.jp/en/

General information about the Prize

Office of Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize, Cabinet Office, Tokyo
Inquiry form [Comments and Question]
Tel: +81-3-5501-1774, Fax: +81-3-3502-6255
URL: https://www.cao.go.jp/noguchisho/english/index.html

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