Recognizing Dr. Yoriko Nishizawa, Associate Professor for receiving the 17th Nakasone Yasuhiro Award (Incentive Award)
30th December 2021: The Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan celebrated and recognized Dr. Yoriko Nishizawa, Associate Professor at the University, for receiving the Incentive Award at the 17th Nakasone Yasuhiro Award Ceremony on 29th November 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
Her Excellency Dasho Dechen Wangmo, the Health Minister and the Chairperson of the Governing Council of the University graced the occasion as the Chief Guest and was attended by other dignitaries from relevant agencies and senior officials from the University.
The Nakasone Yasuhiro Award was established in 2004 to recognize young people who are actively and boldly working on global issues such as creating a new international order, building regional economic cooperation systems, overcoming hunger and poverty, responding to pandemics and severe disasters, and environmental and energy issues.
Today, having entered the 21st century, the international
political and economic situation is undergoing a major transformation, and many issues need to be resolved on a global scale, including environmental and energy problems. In these circumstances, it is creative intelligence and proactive approaches that will enable us to boldly tackle the various problems to lead to brighter prospects. Therefore, this award was established to contribute to realisation of a truly peaceful and prosperous international society by honouring the efforts of young people who have made internationally significant achievements in diverse fields such as politics, economics, culture, and science and technology, and by encouraging their continuing activities.
Dr. Yoriko Nishizawa who has worked in the capacity of a neonatologist at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital since 2011 and as Associate Professor at the Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan since 2015, has made significant contributions to improve the medical welfare system, particularly in the areas of maternal and child health in Bhutan. She also is a recipient of the National Order of Merit Silver in 2017 from His Majesty the King.
Besides providing patient care as a clinician, she has contributed to many capacities as well as policy development activities under the Reproductive, Maternal, and Newborn Health program, Ministry of Health such as Early Essential Newborn Care, Bhutan Every Newborn Action Plan, and Maternal and Child Health Handbook. In JDWNRH, due to her initiatives, several evidence-based neonatal services have been initiated and established such as Kangaroo Mother Care for preterm infants, a High-risk follow-up clinic, and acute management of severe birth asphyxia. She also initiated regular mortality review and response, promoted family centred, nurturing, and palliative care in NICU, instituted simulation-based training at the point of care for patient safety and led the first Quality Improvement (QI) project in the country. She also promoted and liaised linkages not only between individuals and institutes in Japan but also in India. Several Bhutanese doctors and nurses got opportunities to visit Japan or India for capacity building in the field of neonatal care and many more benefited through online learning facilitated by her so far.
