It was our great pleasure to award the fifth R. Geigy Award to
Dr. Alphonse Um Boock from Cameroon.

Dr. Alphonse Um Boock,

Who
During decades dedicated his professional life as medical doctor to neglected health systems and neglected diseases in Africa

Who
Not only followed with great competence the situation of poor people at the individual clinical level, but tried to understand the problems of poverty at the population level and with a public health perspective

Who
During many years and under difficult conditions led the structural and functional rehabilitation of the urban and peri-urban area of Douala, Cameroon, based on primary health care principles, which in turn generated new national and international standards for urban health systems under resource constraints

Who
With great skills coordinated and stimulated scientific work and direct public health action for the better understanding and control of leprosy and Buruli ulcer in Cameroon and the region

Who
Shared his experience and expertise in numerous teaching events as well as with WHO and many national and international organizations which strengthened the global commitment for the control of neglected diseases

Who
Remains committed to health development, particularly for he poorer segments of African populations

These reasons have led to our decision to award Dr. Alphonse Um Boock the fifth R.Geigy Award. We honour his fine contributions to improving health systems and to understanding and controlling neglected diseases.

We are convinced that Professor Geigy would join us in our congratulations, as Dr. Alphonse Um Boock’s career path and achievements represent what Professor Geigy’s visions entailed since he first visited Africa.

It is a particular pleasure to hand over this award to you after the 12th STI-Symposium on health systems. The way you, Dr. Um Boock, dear Alphonse, undertake your public health work, teach and train young colleagues and peers gives us all hope that health systems can be improved, neglected diseases be controlled and poverty can be alleviated.

Basel, 28 November 2008

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