Prime Minister Theresa May has awarded Dr Onsy Louca, a consultant gynaecologist from London, who founded ‘Wings of Healing’ in 2012 to help improve women’s health in Africa.

The team has a particular emphasis on improving maternal mortality, while also screening for diabetes and high blood pressure.

Dr Louca leads a team of qualified medical staff from the United Kingdom for trips to Ethiopia, up to three times a year.

The team has treated over 10,000 individuals, with hundreds more being screened each year for conditions such as cervical cancer.

Local doctors lead on the majority of the procedures, under Dr Louca’s supervision and guidance, and the team endeavour to teach the local staff new methods and donate new equipment where appropriate.

Dr Louca is the latest recipient of the Points of Light award which recognises outstanding volunteers who are making a change in their community and inspiring others. Each day, someone, somewhere in the country is selected to receive the award to celebrate their remarkable achievements.

In a personal letter to Dr Louca, Mrs May said: “Through ‘Wings of Healing’, you are changing the lives of tens of thousands of women in Africa.

"You and your team are doing inspirational work in providing essential care to vulnerable women across the continent.”

Dr Louca added: “It is a great honour to be awarded a Points of Light Award. I am very grateful to the Prime Minister.

"I am sure this will shed some light on the work of Wings of Healing, a small charity with less than 1 per cent admin charges that is dedicated to providing medical care to some of the neediest patients in Africa, as well as providing education and accommodation to homeless children.”

Onsy is the 738th winner of the Points of Light award, which has been developed in partnership with the hugely successful Points of Light programme in the USA.

Over 5,000 Points of Light have been awarded in the USA, and both President George H. W. Bush and President Barack Obama have publicly supported the partnership with Points of Light UK.

There is a similar cross-party approach to the UK programme and MPs from different parties often present their constituents with their Points of Light awards.

Regardless of whether it’s a doctor restoring local monuments in her free time, a father teaching young people life skills, or a local musician giving a voice to lonely people, the Point of Light award honours shining examples of volunteering across the UK.