A Bangladeshi scientist who helped develop a cheap oral vaccine against cholera, a Pakistani microfinance pioneer and a Filipino fisherman were among Tuesday’s winners of Asia’s equivalent to the Nobel Prize.
Bangladesh’s Firdausi Qadri, 70, was one of five recipients of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for her “life-long devotion to the scientific profession” and “untiring contributions to vaccine development”.
Working at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka, Qadri had a “key role” in creating more affordable vaccines to combat cholera and typhoid, the Manila-based award foundation said in a statement.
Qadri was also cited for her leading role in a mass vaccination effort in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh’s southeastern district of Cox’s Bazar in recent years that prevented a cholera outbreak.The disease causes acute diarrhoea and spreads through contaminated food and water.
Qadri has also been recognised for her efforts to build up Bangladesh’s scientific research capacity.
“I’m overwhelmed, extremely delighted but also humbled,” Qadri said in a video message shared by the foundation.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award, named after a Filipino president killed in a plane crash, was established in 1957 to honour people and groups tackling development problems.
It was held virtually this year after the event was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Microfinance pioneer
Pakistani development worker Muhammad Amjad Saqib, 64, was also a winner for his “first-of-its-kind” interest- and collateral-free microfinance programme that has helped millions of poor families.
Nearly two decades after its launch, Akhuwat has grown into the nation’s largest microfinance institution, distributing the equivalent of $900 million and boasting an almost 100 percent loan repayment rate, the award foundation said.
Saqib, who uses places of worship to hand out money, was cited for “his inspiring belief that human goodness and solidarity will find ways to eradicate poverty.”
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan said the country was “proud of” Saqib’s achievement.
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