GOVPH

The Department of Science and Technology’s Balik Scientist Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana was nominated  for this year’s  annual  Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) of the World award.

The TOYP award is an international award conferred by the Junior Chamber International (JCI), an international non-profit organization of people aged 18 to 40 who focus on creating positive change in their fields.

On its 30th anniversary, JCI opened an online voting poll where young people around the world can participate in selecting the awardees.

The 37-year old HIV expert landed on the third place in the online poll with a total vote of 2,000. The voting ended up last August 20, 2012.

Dr. Salvana is an expert in internal medicine, infectious diseases, and tropical medicine. He is currently chief fellow of the Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine of the Case Western Reserve University, and University Hospitals of Cleveland in Ohio. He left a productive career in the US last 2008 to return to the country as a DOST Balik Scientist. Having studied the HIV epidemic in Africa and the US, he was disheartened to find out that the disease was also on the rise in the Philippines.

Salvana's advocacy against HIV/AIDS had gained international recognition when he presented educational and action-oriented speeches to the United Nations and US Peace Corps. He had also received many awards, including Outstanding Young Scientist for 2010 by the National Academy of Science and Technology for his work in tropical medicine.

Originally established in 1975, DOST’s  Balik Scientist Program aims to support and strengthen the scientific and technological human resources in the Philippines and reverse the effects of migration of experts by encouraging Filipino scientists and technicians to return to the country and share their expertise and promote scientific and economic development. (Allan Ace Aclan)

Dr. Edsel Salvana with Dr. Suniti Solomon, Director of YRG care who found the first HIV cases in women in India. (Photo lifted from Dr. Salvana’s album)

Written by: Allan Ace Aclan   
Friday, 31 August 2012 05:58