The pioneering work of Professor Garry Warne of the Royal Children’s Hospital has been recognised by Health Minister Daniel Andrews at a major Victorian healthcare award ceremony.
Announcing the winner of the Minister’s Award for outstanding individual achievement at the annual Victorian Public Healthcare Awards tonight, Mr Andrews said the work of Professor Warne had made a real difference to thousands of lives, both in Australia and internationally.
“Professor Warne goes beyond what is expected as a clinician and an individual,” Mr Andrews said.
“His efforts to improve child health in this part of the world and his enthusiasm for the task are contagious. He is a person of vision and passion who gives much of himself to improve the world around him.
Professor Warne has been on the senior medial staff of the Royal Children’s Hospital since 1977, becoming director of the Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes in 1980.
In 1998 he established the Royal Children’s Hospital International, an organisation that has had an enormous impact on child health in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
It harnesses the energies of staff wanting to volunteer to make a greater contribution to child health among the disadvantaged, especially in the developing countries of our region – in particular India, Vietnam, Indonesia, South Africa and Sri Lanka.
In 2005 Professor Warne’s work in Vietnam was recognised when he was awarded the highly prestigious People’s Health Medal of Vietnam, the first Australian to receive this.
The Victorian Public Healthcare Awards were established in 2005 to celebrate the dedication and expertise of the people who provide publicly funded healthcare to the Victorian community. The awards have been embraced by the sector with great enthusiasm and generated considerable goodwill.
The awards categories seek to honour the best health services and reflect important areas of practice across the health spectrum, regardless of the setting, service or specialty. With 10 categories plus the Minister’s and Premiers awards, they offer healthcare agencies the opportunity to be recognised for their commitment to providing the best possible care to the people of Victoria.
Representatives from health services, academia, non-government organisations and consumers judged the entries and the 72 judges, led by the Chair of Judging Dr Norman Swan, gave generously of their time and expertise to arrive at the finalist entries.
The 2007 Victorian Public Healthcare Awards give an illustration of the scope of innovation and excellence within Victorian healthcare and celebrates the health sector’s achievements.
Media contact: Tim Pigot on 9651 5799 / 0419 817 098. Contact www.vic.gov.au