Media Release
January 29 2008
Our Dr Hetzel awarded international honour from the King of Thailand
Dr
Basil Hetzel AC has already won a reputation as a national treasure,
his work has saved lives and eliminated disease in all four corners of
the globe and his passion for public health in Australia and abroad has
been a catalyst for change – so it is no wonder that the King of
Thailand will personally award Dr Hetzel the prestigious
2007 Prince
Mahidol Prize for his contribution to International Public Health
tomorrow.
Former UniSA Chancellor, Lieutenant Governor of South Australia and Chief of the CSIRO Division of Human Nutrition, Dr Hetzel’s work in public health dates back to 1964 in Papua New Guinea when his team at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (University of Adelaide), in collaboration with the PNG Public Health Department showed that cretinism (a severe form of brain damage) could be prevented by the injection of iodized oil before pregnancy.
Dr Hetzel went on to lead research at the CSIRO Division of Human Nutrition (1976-1985) that demonstrated the profound effects of iodine deficiency on foetal brain development in animal studies.
His research in PNG and at CSIRO led to recognition by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that iodine deficiency is the most common preventable cause of brain damage in the world today with an at-risk population of 2 billion from 130 countries.
In 1985 Dr Hetzel played the key role in establishing and then leading the International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD), which is now a global network of 700 professionals from more than 100 countries working with WHO and UNICEF.
Working collaboratively with international health bodies the ICCIDD has played a leading role in a global program of prevention, dating from the World Summit for Children in 1990.
In 1999 an assessment by an ICCIDD/WHO/UNICEF team found that 68 per cent of households worldwide were consuming iodized salt, compared with only 20 per cent before 1990.
Now in his 80s Dr Hetzel is still vigilant about public health trends and the impact of iodine deficiency in communities.
“Recent research in Australia has identified significant iodine deficiency in school children and in pregnant women,” Dr Hetzel said. This indicates the need for greater use of already available iodized salt.
“We have seen enormous progress in the 30 years since we identified the importance of iodine deficiency to brain development – but it is something we need to continue to monitor and continue to provide public health education about.
“I see the Prince Mahidol Prize as a wonderful recognition of the benefits our work has brought to the health of communities throughout the world.
"The further challenge is to sustain and increase the coverage with iodized salt in countries including Australia and wherever significant iodine deficiency has been identified."
The prestigious Prince Mahidol Award Foundation was established by the
royal permission of
His Majesty
the King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in accordance with the proposal of
Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, in commemoration of the Centenary
Birthday Anniversary of His Royal Highness Prince Mahidol of Songkla on
January 1 1992. The Foundation was established in honour of His Royal
Highness and in recognition of his exemplary contribution as the Father
of Modern Medicine and Public Health of Thailand.
Contact for interview
- Dr Basil Hetzel AC office +61 8 8161 7021 home +61 8 8267 3768 email iccidd@a011.aone.net.au
Media contact
-
Michèle Nardelli office (08) 8302 0966 mobile 0418 823 673
email michele.nardelli@unisa.edu.au