Alexandre Yersin Prize for Outstanding Medical Publications 2017-2018
Dear sponsors, dear donors,
Dear friends,
Dear students,
1) The year 2018 was marked by the realisation of the “Alexandre Yersin Prize for outstanding medical publications” project, in association with the Consulate General of Switzerland in Saigon, whose ultimate goal is to encourage scientific research in Vietnam.
In an initial phase starting in 2017, the Prize met a very positive echo with the participation of 16 teams of researchers from Hanoi, Saigon and Cantho, who submitted 25 international publications including one, published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine of 1.2018.
You will find the publications by this link
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bdJW_sKt_Mt-0xkNQ9oDu0WI1Ps1ptee?usp=sharing
The highlights of the project must have been the award ceremony which took place on July 26th, 2018 in Saigon. This ceremony, co-organized with the Consulate General of Switzerland, can be considered successful with the participation of about hundred guests from the academic medical community and some representing the authorities of Ho Chi Minh City. The speeches delivered by the Consul General, Mr. Othmar Hardegger, the President of Helvietmed, Dr. Nguyen Quan-Vinh, the presentation of the Prize ensured by Prof. Nguyen Van Tuan, as speaker for of the scientific committee, and the presentation of the winning publications by their authors were appreciated by the informed public. The event raised significant interest from the media as reflected in different television channels and multiple articles in English-, French- and Vietnamese-language newspapers throughout the country.
You will find the text of the speech I gave on behalf of Helvietmed here
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rg7fOzQfQ05p2nwBMLrAx3L1tvkkrFjV/view?usp=sharing
as well as a video clip that we made to capture the atmosphere of the evening
and a summary of the media interest here.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/16xZfSISb7UQcWo3fF7UKaW_Ct-afMT3b/view?usp=sharing
It was not easy to design and implement this project which required a certain amount of conviction, ambition, perseverance and courage. Love for Vietnam, admiration for Alexander Yersin, a certain desire to convey a constructive image of Switzerland had undoubtedly provided all these ingredients.
I would like to thank you all, members and donors, who had given the organizing committee the means and the freedom to carry out this meaningful project.
On behalf of Helvietmed, I thank our Consul General, Mr. Hardegger, for his enthusiastic and valuable contributions, as well as Prof. Nguyen Van Tuan from Sidney who played a key role in steering the project. I also express my personal gratitude to all our friends members of the Scientific Committee who, through their skills, prestige and commitment, constitute the credibility of the Prize.
As we plan to continue this project, I have contacted the new Consul General in Saigon, Mr. Martin Maier, who has signaled his interest for a second edition with preparatory work in autumn 2019 and award ceremony in 2020.