Former vice President Nguyễn Thị Doan hands over KOVA Prize to Prof Lê Thị Tuyết Lan, Chairwoman of the HCM City Asthma and Allergy and Clinical Immunology Society. — VNS Photo Thanh Hải

HÀ NỘI — The annual KOVA Prize 2017 honoured contributions of two groups, eight outstanding individuals and seven students for their outstanding contributions to the fields of applied science and technology, and social welfare, at a ceremony on Saturday.

The first group prize in the Creative Ideas for Applied Science category was awarded to a project establishing an asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management network in communities, conducted by Prof Lê Thị Tuyết Lan, chairwoman of the HCM City Asthma and Allergy and Clinical Immunology Society, along with 22 partners.

Since 2000, Prof Lan and her co-workers at HCM City Medical and Pharmacy University developed a network on asthma and COPD patient management in communities that helped reduce the number of patients visiting hospitals due to acute asthma and COPD, saving many patients’ lives and minimising the burden on society.

The network, which has been expanded to 161 units in 45 provinces and cities nation-wide, provided training courses on asthma and COPD management for nearly 1,200 doctors and 600 nurses over the past 17 years. The network model was introduced to several countries in the region. 

The second group prize came to a medical project for inducing labour, that was developed by Prof. Doctor Huỳnh Nguyễn Khánh Trang, head of the Obstetrics Department of the Hùng Vương General Hospital. — VNS Photo Thanh Hải

The second group prize also honoured a medical project for inducing labour, that was developed by Prof Doctor Huỳnh Nguyễn Khánh Trang, head of the Obstetrics Department of the Hùng Vương General Hospital.

The Hùng Vương Hospital’s new initiative has gained great success in inducing labour in pregnant women, using techniques that had greatly reduced costs.

The project is the first ever medical research in Việt Nam that has been recognised as a new method in obstetrics by the Ministry of Health, having helped reduce the rate of surgical births and handling difficult situations in pregnant women having seriously deformed fetuses or those having previous surgical births.

The 15th KOVA Prize awards in the category of Beautiful Living were presented to two groups and six individuals for their actions, which have inspired other people to follow, including group of Navy Region 4 and Lieutenant Lê Văn Quân, Captain of the Trường Sa 21 Ship, Brigade 125, Navy Region 2. They were recognised as an outstanding group and individuals who have carried out the task of protecting the nation’s sovereignty on the sea and islands.

The KOVA Prize, which was set up by former Vice President Nguyễn Thị Bình and Associate Prof Dr Nguyễn Thị Hòe, chairwoman of KOVA Paint Group in 2002, is held annually to honour individuals and groups who have made significant contributions in the fields of science, education, charities, and other areas.

Over the past 15 years, the awards have been given to hundreds of groups and individuals. The organisation aims to encourage students, individuals and groups – especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds – to pursue innovations in science, technology and social welfare. — VNS