Bangkok: Four doctors fromthe US and India received the Prince Mahidol Award 2006from Thailand'sKing Bhumibol Aulyadej here for their contribution to medical and public healthservices. 

They received the award Wednesday for their achievements inthe discovery, introduction and widespread use of oral re-hydration solution(ORS) or oral re-hydration therapy (ORT).

Stanley G. Schultz from the US University of Texas MedicalSchool at Houston, American doctors David R. Nalin and Richard A. Cash, andIndian doctor Dilip Mahalanabis were presented the award in the field ofmedicine at the Chakri Throne Hall, the GrandPalace in Bangkok.

The Thai king praised the awardees as excellent examples ofthose who truly perform good deeds for the sake of goodness, because suchachievements are not meant for any individual but for the benefit of mankind asa whole. 

The ORS, consisting of salt, sugar and water, was introducedin 1960s as a simple, low-cost and easily accessible solution to treatdehydration from cholera and diarrhoea.

Since early 1970s, with the widening use of the therapythroughout the world, especially among developing countries, ORS has benefitedmillions of lives around the world. It is estimated that each year 500 millionpacks of ORS are used in more than 60 developing countries. 

The beauty of ORS is that it is not only cheap, but itsingredients are easy to avail and compose, the awardees agreed.

However, they added that to reduce costs and improve accessto drugs and medical technologies, efforts are needed from scientists, privateinstitutions and governments to commit themselves to creating a healthy world.

Sponsored by a Thai royal family foundation, the PrinceMahidol Award is conferred annually to individuals or institutions who makeoutstanding contributions to the advancement of medical and public healthservices for humanity all over the world.