Govt awards medal to outstanding UK researcher

The Lao government has awarded the Cross of Labour medal to a researcher from the United Kingdom in recognition of the outstanding contribution he has made to the quality of lab and data management systems at Mahosot Hospital Microbiology Laboratory in Vientiane.

The medal was awarded to Prof. David Allan Brett Dance in a ceremony that was hosted by Minister of Health, Associate Prof. Dr Bounkong Syhavong on Tuesday March 12.  The ceremony was in honour of Professor Dance’s work and to also bid him farewell after he departs from his position next month.
Professor Dance has been working in the Microbiology Laboratory of Mahosot Hospital as a Senior Clinical Research Fellow and Consultant Medical Microbiologist in the Lao-Oxford University-Mahosot Hospital-Welcome Trust Research Unit (LOMWRU) since October 2010. His medal was presented by Associate Prof. Dr Bounkong on behalf of the government and was witnessed by many public officials.    
According to the LOMWRU project, Prof. Dance has been awarded the Cross of Labour medal for his eight years of service and contribution to Laos.  The award recognises his hard and excellent work in leading multiple research projects on infectious diseases based at Mahosot Hospital and elsewhere in Laos. Prof. Dance has been particularly influential in the areas of melioidosis and antimicrobial resistance.
During his time in Laos, Prof. Dance was one of the founding fathers of the fund to support cooperation between Mahosot Hospital and the LOMWRU between 2010 - 2018.  This fund raised more than US$3.4 million and made an extremely important contribution to the service and provision of healthcare in Laos.
During the past eight years, Prof. Dance has undertaken high quality research and has been instrumental in the development of better laboratory and data management systems in the Mahosot Hospital Microbiology Laboratory.  Prof. Dance has made significant contribution to the development of laboratory capacities, quality and safety management processes across the country.
He also had time for visiting staff and students through teaching and training.  Prof. Dance always encouraged networking and collaboration both within the Oxford Tropical Network and externally.
Prof. Dance significantly raised the profile of the Mahosot Hospital Microbiology Laboratory and the LOMWRU through publishing and speaking at international meetings.  His laboratory knowledge and skills have resulted in very valuable outcomes, not only for the Microbiology Laboratory, but for all the Lao people.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update March 21, 2019)