(VOVWORLD) - Carlo Urbani Museum opened on Saturday in the Municipality of Castelplanio, Ancona province, Italy as part of activities to mark the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Italy diplomatic ties.
 WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Counselor Nguyen Thai Hoc at the museum's opening ceremony (Photo: VNA) |
Carlo Urbani is an infectious disease specialist of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Vietnam, who identified and died of Sars in March 2003.
Addressing the opening ceremony, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called Dr Urbani the “hero of the world”, a symbol of the global fight against diseases.
Dr. Carlo Urbani's studies in preventive medicine, vaccination, and treatment measures in less developed countries are still valid today.
Counselor Nguyen Thai Hoc of the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy said the event once again honored Dr. Carlo Urbani and his valuable contributions to world health and to the cause of protecting people’s health and saving human lives.
Thanks to his intensive research and sacrifice, Vietnam was able to analyze and identify the agent that caused SARS. Through isolation and intensive care, he found a way to defeat SARS in a short time. Hoc said Urbani's life is a testament to the profound friendship between Italy and Vietnam.
Dr. Carlo Urbani, who worked in Vietnam for many years, was one of the most instrumental people in identifying SARS as a new,deadly disease in 2003. He then developed symptoms of SARS during a flight to Thailand and died of complications related to the disease on March 29, 2003 at the age of 46.
Before his death, he asked for his lung tissue to be donated for scientific research. Two weeks after his death, thanks to that lung, scientists discovered the corona virus and found a way to control the SARS pandemic.