Dr. Nittaya Phanuphak of Thailand has been named one of three recipients of the WHO South-East Asia Regional Award 2026 for Public Health Champions, in recognition of more than 25 years of work in HIV prevention, clinical research, and equitable health care. She currently serves as Executive Director of the Institute of HIV Research and Innovation (IHRI).

Dr. Nittaya pioneered innovative HIV service models, including the Princess PrEP program, which provides free HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis to people at higher risk who face financial barriers to care. She also helped establish the Tangerine Community Health Center, the Asia-Pacific region's first transgender-led clinic, which offers integrated HIV and sexual health services alongside gender-affirming care.

Her work has shaped Thailand's national HIV policies as well as regional and global guidance, expanding access to prevention and treatment for key populations. Through a community-led approach, she has shown how locally driven health services can reach underserved populations and advance progress toward ending HIV as a public health threat.

The recognition comes as Thailand continues to pursue its national goal of ending AIDS by 2030. In June, the Thai Cabinet approved the draft 2026 UN Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS, reaffirming the country's commitment to expanding HIV prevention, testing, and treatment; reducing stigma and discrimination; and ensuring equitable access to medicines, technology, and medical innovation.

Now in its second year, the award recognizes individuals and organizations whose leadership has made a lasting impact on public health across the region. This year's selection, drawn from 102 nominations, was based on public health impact, innovation, scalability, sustainability, and equity. The awards will be presented at the 79th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia in Dili, Timor-Leste, this September.