Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Newsletter No.19November 2022 - The Fourth Third Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Award Ceremony -
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The Fourth Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Award Ceremony
On the occasion of the 8th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 8) in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, the 4th Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Award Ceremony was held at the Congress Palace of Tunis (TICAD venue) at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 28, 2022, with the attendance of Minister of Foreign Affairs Hayashi.
Prime Minister Kishida delivered his congratulatory remarks in the form of a video message, as he was unable to attend the ceremony due to COVID-19. The attendees included the heads of state and Government and the delegation of African Union Member States, together with representatives of TICAD co-organizers and international health-related organizations who were attending TICAD 8, and Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Committee Chairperson Kurokawa.
■ [Movie] The 4th Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Award Ceremony (YouTube)
(Left) Remarks by Laureates of the Fourth Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize
Laureates of Medical Research Category,
Dr. Salim S. Abdool Karim and Dr. Quarraisha Abdool Karim
(Right) Laureate of Medical Services Category,
Guinea Worm Eradication Program, Director, Mr. Adam Weiss (The Carter Center)
(Left) Group photo: from left,
Dr. Quarraisha Abdool Karim and Dr. Salim S. Abdool Karim, Mr. Othman Jerandi,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tunisia,
Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan,
Ms. Aïssata TALL SALL, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Senegal,
Mr. Adam Weiss, Director, Guinea Worm Eradication Program (The Carter Center) and
Dr. KUROKAWA Kiyoshi, Chairperson of Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Committee
(Right) Congratulatory remarks by H.E. Mr. KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan
(Video message) A scene at the award ceremony
Medical Research Category: Drs. Abdool Karims Medical Services Category:
Guinea Worm Eradication Program
First award in three year cycle since 2019
First award ceremony held alongside TICAD in Africa
The ceremony began with opening remarks by Mr. Othman Jerandi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad of the Republic of Tunisia, followed by the introduction of laureates by Committee Chairperson Kurokawa, outlining their achievements and reasons for their selection.
After Prime Minister Kishida’s congratulatory video message, each of the laureates gave acceptance speeches. Lastly, Ms. Aïssata Tall Sall, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad of the Republic of Senegal, gave a congratulatory speech.
■ Ceremony program
[Welcoming remarks] Mr. Othman Jerandi,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Republic of Tunisia (host country)
[Introduction of Laureates] Dr. KUROKAWA Kiyoshi,
Chairperson of Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Committee (Introduction of Laureates)
[Congratulatory remarks] H.E. Mr. KISHIDA Fumio,
Prime Minister of Japan (Video message) (Congratulatory remarks)
[Remarks] Laureates of Medical Research Category,
Dr. Salim S. Abdool Karim and Dr. Quarraisha Abdool Karim (Remarks by Dr. Karims)
[Remarks] Laureate of Medical Services Category, Guinea Worm Eradication Program, Director, Mr. Adam Weiss (The Carter Center) (Remarks by Mr. Weiss)
[Closing remarks] Ms. Aïssata TALL SALL,
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad, the Republic of Senegal (AU Chair)
(From left) Congratulatory remarks by PM KISHIDA (Video message),
Tunisia Foreign Minister Jerandi (Host country),
Senegal Foreign Minister TALL (AU Chair)
(From left) Chairperson KUROKAWA, Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Committee,
Laureates of Medical Research Category Drs. Abdool Karims,
Laureate of Medical Services Category Guinea Worm Eradication Program Director Weiss
(Left) TICAD8 venue Congress Palace of Tunis (Dome-shaped building on the right side),
(Right) Laureates and Chairperson KUROKAWA
This award ceremony was comprised of speeches only. The award will be handled over at a later date separately by the Japanese diplomatic mission where the recipient resides.
For more information on the 4th Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Award Ceremony, please visit the page below on the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize website of the Cabinet Office.
■ The Fourth Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Award Ceremony
■ [Movie] The 4th Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Award Ceremony (YouTube)
Speeches by the Laureates (excerpt)
■ Medical Research Category
Dr. Salim S. Abdool Karim
Dr. Quarraisha Abdool Karim
It is with humility that we jointly accept this distinguished and singular honour of receiving the 4th Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize. We do so on behalf of the large CAPRISA research group of over 300 that we lead, our partners and collaborators across the world, our research funders and most importantly the thousands of people who have volunteered to participate in our studies in South Africa. We thank our families and mentors for all their guidance and support over many decades.
But translating research discoveries into products is the hurdle we continue to work on overcoming so that those who are most in need will reap the benefits of scientific solutions. For it is only when our research changes the lives of the most vulnerable for the better that we know that our research is having an impact. Science offers us one more opportunity to unleash the full potential of Africa for a better future for all.
■ Medical Services Category
Guinea Worm Eradication Program
Director, Mr. Adam Weiss (The Carter Center)
It is my honor to be here to accept the Hideyo Noguchi Prize for Medical Services on behalf of the global Guinea worm eradication campaign. Our Guinea worm-fighting team consists of each country’s ministry of health, nongovernmental organizations, traditional leadership, local and national political leaders, and thousands of village volunteers, many of whom have suffered from the disease themselves. They all work tirelessly to defeat this disease in the most remote locations. It is their hard work that we honor here today.
The nation of Japan has been one of our most significant supporters, donating over 20 million dollars to the cause and even sending health workers from the Japanese Oversees Cooperation Volunteer Program, several of whom I worked with first hand while I was working to eliminate Guinea worm in Ghana. We are now pleased to include the Noguchi Prize among the donors and partners in this historic effort to eradicate the second human disease from earth.
Congratulatory remarks by PM KISHIDA Fumio (excerpt)
I would like to firstly extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Laureates.
Today, more than ever, we reaffirm the importance of the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize.
Given that COVID-19 remains to be an issue, with its impact still being felt around the world, sustained efforts to enhance the global health architecture are needed. This is why I would like to commend the people who have devoted themselves to medical researches and services in Africa just like Dr. Noguchi and improve health and welfare of Africa, and thus of all humankind. To this end, the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize serves an important role.
In addition to their global contribution to improving HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, Drs. Abdool Karims have greatly contributed to training African researchers and leading the COVID-19 response in Africa.
The Guinea Worm Eradication Program, through a global campaign led by The Carter Center and in collaboration with stakeholders in Africa, nearly achieved the eradication of Guinea worm disease.
Either of the laureates embodies the fortitude demonstrated by the predecessors. Former Prime Minister Abe, who delivered his remarks at the last Award Ceremony, wished that the international community would further devote attention to health sector in Africa. I, as the G7 Chair next year, will do my utmost in the global fight against COVID-19, which poses a threat to human security, based on the outcome of this TICAD8. I am confident that the laureates will also continue their contributions.
Building upon this Noguchi Prize, I am confident that the laureates will also continue to contribute to improving health as well as welfare of the people living in Africa, thereby leading to that of all humanity.
For the full text of the speeches of the laureates and the Prime Minister, please visit the following page on Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize website of the Cabinet Office.
■ The Fourth Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Award Ceremony
Event: Keynote Speeches by Laureates at the 9th Nikkei FT Communicable Diseases Conference
The laureates of the 4th Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize will give keynote speeches at the 9th NIKKEI FT Communicable Diseases Conference held by Nikkei Inc. in Tokyo on November 15-16, 2022. The laureates will participate online.
For more information on the conference, please visit the following website.
■ The 9th NIKKEI FT Communicable Diseases Conference
Photo of the announcement article (provided by Nikkei Inc.)
Keynote speakers Laureates of the 4th Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize
Medical Research Category Drs. Abdool Karims (Left two)
Medical Services Category Guinea Worm Eradication Program
Director, Mr. Adam Weiss (The Carter Center) (Rightmost)
Publicity Activities:
Exhibition at Global Festa Japan 2022
To publicize the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize, we participated in the Global Festa Japan 2022, held in a hybrid style, at the Tokyo International Forum and online, on the weekend of October 1 and 2, 2022. A life-sized panel of Dr. Hideyo Noguchi was exhibited at the booth, and the event provided a good opportunity to introduce people to the prize through Newsletter, which features the Laureates of the 4th Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize, and pamphlets of the Prize.
A big thank you to everyone who visited the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize booth.
Invitation for Donations
for the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Fund
As part of the prize money to be awarded for this prize, we are inviting donations widely from those who support the idea of this prize. Your goodwill donations will be used to support the activities of people who are playing active roles in improving medical research and medical services in Africa.
About inquiries for donations, please contact:
Citizen Participation Promotion Division, Domestic Strategy and Partnership Department, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
E-MAIL : jicata-kifu1@jica.go.jp
- Donations to Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize during 2007 – September 2022
638,876,116 YEN [Individual: 2,051, Corporation or Foundation: 534 (TOTAL: 2,585)]
Donations during April 2021 – September 2022 (as of September 2022)
113,394,170 YEN [Individual: 33, Corporation or Foundation: 165 (TOTAL: 198)]