1 march 2016
The Full University Professor in Parasitology at the Universitat de València, WHO expert and director of the Master’s degree in Tropical Parasitic Diseases, Santiago Mas-Coma has been distinguished by the Rotary Club with the 2015 Llama Rotaria Prize for his contributions in the field of Science.
The awarding of this prestigious Prize of over 30 years of tradition took place at the Valencia Palace in the corresponding ceremony awards on Friday 26 February. A great representation of the Valencian society attended the event. The president of Rotary Club, Ms. Elvira Ferrer, delivered the award to the honouree after an extensive exposure of his Curriculum Vitae, professional career and merits.
In his speech, professor Mas-Coma thanked receiving the award and emphasised the significance of Dr. María Dolores Bargues and Dr. María Adela Valero, vice-directors of the WHO Collaborating Centre and of the Centre of Reference of FAO/United Nations he himself runs, emphasising the scientific value of them both co-directors of the Master’s Degree in Tropical Parasitic Diseases, their production capacity and immense daily task which is essential to meet the numerous obligations for research and aid to countries from all the continents that the team carries out in collaboration with the WHO and FAO/United Nations headquarters in Geneva and Rome. The dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, professor Juan Carlos Moltó, went to the event as institutional representative.
In his final speech, professor Mas-Coma reflected on the historical challenge that Europe is going through nowadays as a consequence of the unparalleled entry of refugees and immigrants. He also put stress in the need of investing again in international cooperation in health to control diseases, specially the parasitic ones, which cause underdevelopment and poverty in situ in developing countries, as the best solution for a long-term stability in immigrants’ countries of origin.
