Dr. Um Boock has dedicated his life to the fight against neglected diseases, as Prof. Dr. Marcel Tanner, Foundation President and Director of the Swiss Tropical Institute pointed out in his laudatory speech, and for years has also been actively involved in the research and fight against Buruli Ulcer. With great skill he has managed within just a few years to raise awareness in various circles for this insidious disease while also improving the health care system in Cameroon. Dr. Alphonse Um Book has not only set up one of the best disease surveillance systems in West Africa, but also founded new centers for laboratory diagnosis and treatment. He has set new national and international standards for those healthcare systems that have few financial resources but still manage to achieve optimal results. Dr. Um Boock has always made his wide knowledge and extensive experience available to research and has generously shared it with the WHO and national and international organizations. At the same time, he involved the local population in his work and has always been mindful of the needs of the poor.

Rudolf Geigy Foundation
The Rudolf Geigy Foundation was established by the first director of the Swiss Tropical Institute, Professor Rudolf Geigy. The mission of the Foundation is to support the Swiss Tropical Institute in research and teaching projects for the improvement of national and international health. The Rudolf Geigy Prize is which is awarded every two years and honors an outstanding scientist or public health specialists. In most cases, the winners did not only show great enthusiasm for science, but had also put up with difficult living conditions. With this award the Foundation recognizes the recipient as an outstanding pioneer in the field of Tropical Medicine and International Health.
>>website