WHA President presents prestigious health awards

Source: Ministry of Health, 23rd May 2008

President of the World Health Assembly, Guyana’s Health Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy yesterday presented the prestigious annual awards on behalf of the Assembly to deserving individuals and organizations for their exemplary service in area of public health. According to a release from the World Health Organisation, the “every year at the World Health Assembly, tribute is paid to individuals and institutions who have accomplished outstanding innovative work in development of health.”

The application for awards is open to all individuals or organizations active in the field of health. Proposals are made to the Director-General of WHO, who submits them to a selection panel. The panel decides on the recommendations to be made to the Executive Board, which designates the recipients of the prizes.

The awards given this year were:

The Sasakawa Health Prize, Japan of US$ 40 000 was awarded to the Movement for Reintegration of People Affected by Hansen's disease (MORHAN), Brazil. The movement works to fight against leprosy (Hansen's disease), which still persists in Brazil. Its goal is to educate the community and prevent discrimination. It develops and distributes educational materials and organizes workshops to involve families and the public, using multimedia communication.

"When I was eight years old, I suffered from leprosy and was forced into isolation. The elimination of Hansen's disease cannot be rooted in the death of the bacillus or the end of the disease. We need to do our best to ensure the well-being of people affected by this disease," said Cristiano Torres, vice-national coordinator of MORHAN. "In our 27-year history, it is the first time that we have been given such an important award."

The United Arab Emirates Health Foundation Prize of US$ 40 000 was awarded to the Children’s Cancer Hospital in Cairo. Opened in July 2007, this modern hospital treats children regardless of their race, creed or ability to pay. Most children come from poor families in Egypt who cannot afford the cost of cancer care.

Mrs Ola Zaki Ghabbour, the General Secretary of the hospital said, "It is amazing to be able to give sick children the opportunity to get better. The Children's Cancer Hospital was a dream that came true, thanks to the generous contributions of all Egyptians, the private sector, governmental authorities, and all loyal and faithful friends from all over the world."

The State of Kuwait Prize for Research in Health Promotion was jointly awarded to Dr Zaza Metreveli from Georgia and Dr Chuon Chantopheas from Cambodia who received US$ 20 000 each.

Dr Zaza Metreveli is the Chief of the Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Critical Care Medicine at the Gudushauri National Medical Centre in Tbilisi, Georgia. During national emergency and conflict, especially during the war in the 1990s, he made a significant contribution to national welfare and has received recognition and awards from the Georgian government. When asked what he will use the prize money for, Dr Metreveli said, "I wish to channel some of the money towards a trauma prevention programme."

Dr Chuon Chantopheas is the Deputy Head of the Technical Bureau of the National Laboratory for Drug and Food Quality Control at the Ministry of Health of Cambodia. She has played a leading role in raising awareness about food-borne diseases, a major cause of ill-health in her country. She has been recognized as an expert in this field, both nationally, and by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAC) and WHO, and is regularly invited to address international meetings and public forums on food-borne disease.

On receiving the award, Dr Chantopheas said, "It may come as a surprise but I would like to get an Internet connection in my own home in order to communicate my work to the communities more effectively. My work is targeted at rural communities and small businesses to produce and process safe food and reduce the incidence of food-borne diseases."

 

WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan and President of the 61st World Health Assembly Dr Leslie Ramsammy congratulate Mr Cristiano Torres, Vice-National Coordinator of the Movement for Reintegration of People Affected by Hansen's disease (MORHAN) in Brazil. MORHAN was awarded the Sasakawa Health Prize of Japan for its fight against leprosy (earlier known as Hansen's disease).

On behalf of the Children’s Cancer Hospital in Cairo, Mrs Ola Zaki Ghabbour, the hospital's General Secretary, receives the United Arab Emirates Health Foundation Prize from Dr Ramsammy. The hospital provides cancer treatment to children most of whom are from poor families.

Dr Zaza Metreveli of Georgia receives the State of Kuwait Prize for Research in Health Promotion from Dr Ramsammy. During national emergency and conflict, especially during the war in the 1990s, Dr Metreveli made a significant contribution to national welfare.

Dr Chuon Chantopheas of Cambodia receives the State of Kuwait Prize for Research in Health Promotion from Dr Ramsammy. She has played a leading role in raising awareness about food-borne diseases, a major cause of ill-health in her country.

Photos courtesy of WHO/Oliver O'Hanlon – WHO website