Thai Ophthalmologist Uraiwan Tinnungwattana Awarded Henry Davison Award
Dr. Uraiwan Tinnungwattana honored for exceptional service to vulnerable populations
Uraiwan Tinnungwattana, an ophthalmologist with the Thai Red Cross Society (TRCS), has received the prestigious Henry Davison Award from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) for her outstanding contributions to vulnerable communities.
At 59, Dr. Uraiwan chairs the TRCS Eye Surgery Project, established in honor of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and leads the Mobile Eyeglasses Unit providing services to children in remote areas.
The Henry Davison Award, named after the IFRC founder and first presented in 2005, is a biennial accolade recognizing exemplary humanitarian service.
The 2024 award was presented last Wednesday at the IFRC General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.
Dr. Uraiwan follows Phan Wannamethee, who was similarly honored in 2013.
Over nearly three decades, the TRCS Eye Surgery Project has offered free surgeries to more than 75,000 patients, addressing conditions such as cataracts and glaucoma.
Additionally, the Mobile Eyeglasses Unit has screened over 8 million children for refractive errors and issued over 100,000 free eyeglasses since 1997.
The IFRC, the world's largest humanitarian network, supports Red Cross and Red Crescent activities in 191 countries with nearly 15 million volunteers.