Yemen doctor nominated for international health award [Archives:2002/42/Local News]

A Yemeni doctor who has devoted much of his life to fight leprosy has been nominated for a major international award recognizing outstanding achievement in health care.
Dr. Abdunasser Munibari, Yemen’s Minister of Public Health and Population, made the announcement at the National Conference on Midwifery and nursing, held in Taiz on October 7 that Dr. Yasin al-Qubati, has been nominated for the International Dr. A.T Shousha Prize for Health.
The award is provided yearly by the World Health Organization, Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean to a person who has made the most significant contribution to any health problem in the geographical area in which Dr. A.T. Shousha served in the World Health Organization.
For the last 20 years, Dr. Yasin al-Qubati has worked on special initiatives to help leprosy patients in main cities, in out of reach unhygienic places.
In co-operation with the other international non-governmental organization, he gathered funds to control leprosy to cover the shortage of funds received by the Ministry of Public Health.
By the end of 2001, 80 leprosy clinics had been held in all the governorates of Yemen, funded by the German Leprosy Relief Association.
Dr. Yasin al-Qubati is the Local Representative in Yemen, and it is the Yemen Leprosy Elimination Society where Dr. Yasin al-Qubati, serves as a general secretary.
Out of 80 clinics, 32 of them are still in operation, while others are partially closed due to no more patients reporting in those areas.
Dr. al-Qubati has stood as a good example in the control of endemic diseases in the Eastern Mediterranean region.
The main purpose of the Dr. A.T. Shousha Award is to select a person annually, when the fund permits. The World Health Assembly awards the prize consisting of a Medal and Cash award, accordingly to Dr. al-Qubati met the most significant contribution to the leprosy problem in Yemen.
Hence, Dr. al-Qubati has been selected during the Arabia Health Ministries Councils, held in Cairo last week, where the last competition has been competed between 6 Eastern Mediterranean councils.
The Dr. A.T. Shousha foundation was established in 1966 according to the Assembly resolution of WHA 1921 with the purpose of commemoration the late Dr. A.T. Shousha, who was the first WHO Regional Director of Eastern Mediterranean.

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