The 12th annual KOVA Awards on December 13 honoured four groups andeight individuals for their outstanding contributions to the fields ofapplied science and technology and social welfare.

Nguyen ThiDoan, Chairwoman of the KOVA Awards Committee, said at the ceremony thatthe KOVA Awards have heightened the country's socio-economicdevelopment.

The awards should be expanded to include scientistsworking for the army and police forces, and highlight femalescientists' achievements, Doan said.

Established by the KOVAPaint Group in 2002, the awards have been given to more than 230 groupsand individuals. The organisation aims to encourage students,individuals and groups – especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds– to pursue innovation in science, technology and social welfare.

Oneapplied science and technology award went to a group from the Instituteof Medical Equipment and Construction Design under the Ministry ofHealth. To solve a growing problem of bacterial contamination in medicalunits and hospitals, the group built 1,500 automatic hand-washingfacilities with filtered hot and cold water.

A group ofpharmacists and engineers from Binh Dinh Pharmaceutical and MedicalEquipment Company received an award for creating and manufacturing ageneric freeze–drying injection, which has been used to treat cancer at25 hospitals.

A group award for outstanding contributions tosociety went to the Kon Chieng Commune's Women's Union in Mang YangDistrict for their hunger and poverty reduction programme aimed atethnic minority women in the Central Highland province of Gia Lai.-VNA