The Belarus government was set to present an award Tuesday to Dr. Akira Sugenoya in honor of his surgical work helping radioactive disease victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, an official said Monday.
Sugenoya, a former assistant professor at Shinshu University in Nagano Prefecture, has been residing in Belarus since 1996. He has provided treatment on a voluntary basis -- especially for children -- in Homyel in southern Belarus, close to the border with Ukraine where the nuclear complex is located.
President Alyksandr Lukashenka will honor Sugenoya with the Franciska Scolina Grade Two order, the second-most prestigious award in the country, the official said.
In addition to his medical work, Sugenoya established the Chernobyl Medical Fund for purchasing medical equipment for his patients and wrote a book documenting his experience treating them.