Scientist Prof. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong received the Ramon Magsaysay Award 2024 in the capital city of Manila, Philippines, last night, November 16, for her contributions to researching the devastating effects of Agent Orange/dioxin on humans.
Ms. Cecilia L. Lazaro – Chairperson of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Board and Mr. Ramon B. Magsaysay Jr. present the award to Prof. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong. (Photo: Tran Tien Dung).
The Ramon Magsaysay Award, often referred to as the “Nobel Prize of Asia,” was awarded to five individuals this year, including Prof. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, who has made significant contributions to uncovering the harmful effects of dioxin on human health, particularly reproductive health. Since then, she has vigorously fought for justice for victims affected by Agent Orange/dioxin.
Ms. Cecilia L. Lazaro – Chairperson of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Board and Mr. Ramon B. Magsaysay Jr. – the founder of the award and son of the seventh president of the Republic of the Philippines, Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay – presented the Ramon Magsaysay Award to the five recipients of this year.
The Council of Members of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation “acknowledged her spirit of community service and the message of hope she continues to spread among the people” and “her work serves as a serious warning to the world to avoid war at all costs, as its tragic consequences can last into the future.”
Notably, the cash prize from this award, approximately $50,000, will be donated by Prof. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong to the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee in Ho Chi Minh City to assist victims affected by Agent Orange/dioxin.
At 80 years old, Prof. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong is the former director of Tu Du Hospital and a renowned obstetrician. Not only is she associated with scientific research on the adverse effects of Agent Orange/dioxin, but she is also a pioneer in the field of in vitro fertilization in Vietnam, bringing joy to thousands of families.
She is also the one who “founded” the Village Midwife team – an extension of grassroots healthcare – to care for the health of pregnant women and young children in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. Prof. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong (third from the right) with the award recipients. (Photo: Tran Tien Dung).
The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation was established in 1957 to honor the seventh president of the Republic of the Philippines, Ramon Magsaysay, who died in a plane crash. This president was beloved for his passion for justice, especially for the poor. This year’s Ramon Magsaysay Award also honored other outstanding individuals and collectives: Karma Phuntsho, a former monk from Bhutan who contributed to high-quality education to address unemployment; Ms. Farwiza Farhan, an Indonesian for her efforts in protecting endangered species on Sumatra Island; Japanese animator Miyazaki Hayao, known for his highest-grossing children’s films in Japan; and a group of Thai doctors awarded for their efforts to ensure affordable healthcare services for the rural poor. |
