The ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan, Director of the Anti-HIV/AIDS Department under the Ministry of Public Health Phan Thi Thu Huong, Director of the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases Pham Ngoc Thach and representatives of many other related agencies.
On the Japanese side, there was the participation of Sasaki Shohei - the First Secretary of the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam.
Professor Dr. Oka Shinichi is the Honorary Director of the Centre for AIDS Treatment Research and Development under the National Centre for Global Health and Medicine of Japan and is also the Chief Advisor of the JICA SATREPS Project.
The For People's Health” Medal is a noble reward for domestic and foreign individuals who have made great contributions to Vietnam's health sector. Professor Dr. Oka is highly appreciated for his dedication and contributions to the field of medicine and health care, especially for years of improving the results of HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention in Vietnam.
Professor Dr. Oka Shinichi is a leading expert in the field of HIV/AIDS prevention in Japan. He has made significant contributions to Japan to improve the treatment of HIV infection, conduct clinical research to develop new treatments and promote technical cooperation and joint research, with many organised in Japan and abroad, including the early and very active cooperation since 2005, between Japan's National Centre for Global Health and Medicine and Vietnam's Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases.