GOVPH

The National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL), in partnership with the Geminiano T. de Ocampo Medical Research Foundation, Inc., will hold the lecture and awarding ceremony for the 2021 Dr. Geminiano De Ocampo Visionary Award for Medical Research (GTOVAMR) on 15 September 2021, 10:00AM via Zoom and Facebook Live broadcast.

The recipient of the 2021 GTOVAMR is Dr. Camilo C. Roa Jr. of the University of the Philippines Manila. Dr. Roa was a retired professor from the Department of Physiology and College of Medicine with over 30 years of service as an educator and as an innovator. One of his outstanding innovations was the respiratory pig lung model, made from locally sourced materials like the transparent chest cavity model made of plexiglass, complete with a “breathing” lung (freshly harvested porcine lung) and colored water glass manometers with which the pleural pressures are monitored. Dr. Roa also invented the first prototype of a mechanical ventilator, Ginhawa I, which he developed with Dr. Abundio Balgos, his protégé at the UP College of Medicine. Ginhawa (Reliefvent) is a ventilator that can be used for both adults and children with a projected cost that is 40% cheaper than the ones available commercially. This low-cost but high quality portable medical ventilator project is funded by the Department of Science and Technology and the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development. It hopes to finish three variations of Ginhawa 2 (a redesigned prototype) for the numerous patients with respiratory failure especially this time of COVID-19 pandemic. Through these initiatives, he aims to contribute some more to the country for the benefit of the Filipino people.

The GTOVAMR aims to recognize clinician researchers who have created the vision for medical research in the country through their outstanding work in medical research that have blazed and/or pioneered the trail for medical innovations and health research and development. The award likewise aims to acknowledge clinician researchers who have created and traversed new frontiers in medicine through significant contributions to the fund of medical knowledge or the advancement of clinical practice in the country, and medical research that have significantly impacted on the lives of the Filipino people.

The GTOVAMR was named in memory and in honor of National Scientist Geminiano T. De Ocampo who was the epitome of medicine in ophthalmology. Dr. De Ocampo was a visionary who created and realized the future in medical research, his pioneering efforts made him achieve several awards. To name a few, he was the first Filipino to perform the first successful corneal transplantation and design a corneal dissector in 1956. He established the first eye hospital and research institution for basic ophthalmology in 1965, now the Philippine Eye Research Institute. He was also the first National Scientist in the field of ophthalmology given by President Ferdinand Marcos in 1982. He was acknowledged as the Father of Modern Ophthalmology.

The awardee for the GTOVAMR ceremony was carefully reviewed and examined by the Board of Judges chaired by Academician Jaime C. Montoya and the other members of the Health Sciences Division of NAST.

Those interested to join the event may register online through the link https://bit.ly/2021GTOVA. Upon registration, a confirmation email containing the meeting details will be received.