GENEVA: Individuals and institutions from around the world were recently presented awards for their outstanding contributions to public health at a ceremony at the 76the World Health Assembly held in Geneva.
“The 2023 public health prizes and awards celebrate people who have made a significant contribution to global health, and whose work has extended far beyond the call of normal duty,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General.
“At a time when the world faces many challenges, each is an inspiration and a reminder of the progress that can be made to improve health and wellbeing for all.”
At its 152nd session, the Executive Board designated the 2023 winners of the prizes, on the basis of proposals made by the dedicated selection panels for each prize.
The WHO selected seven laureates to celebrate their unique role and contribution to public health in their countries and globally. They come from four WHO Regions – Americas, the Eastern-Mediterranean, South-East Asia and the Western Pacific.
Five of the winners are individuals, three of them women. In addition, the two institutions that have received a 2023 award are also led by women.
The recipients of the 2023 Sasakawa Health Prize are the Nick Simons Institute from Nepal and Prof Vichai Tienthavorn from Thailand. The Nick Simons Institute, an NGO, aims to enhance healthcare in rural areas of Nepal. In collaboration with Nepal's Ministry of Health and Population, the institute has trained 7,000 medical professionals, including midwives and anaesthetic assistants, who now provide vital services to local communities where there is a shortage of general practitioners and specialists. Additionally, the institute has addressed the scarcity of medical personnel in 44 hospitals by supplying essential equipment, supporting the development of an action plan for improved quality services in over 100 rural hospitals, and conducting research and advocacy to influence policies concerning rural health workers in Nepal.
Prof Vichai Tienthavorn serves as the President of the Praboromarajchanok Institute at the Ministry of Public Health in Thailand. He has spearheaded various nationwide initiatives, including an innovative health promotion policy to combat thalassemia, leading to the adoption of an effective national prevention and control policy. Prof Tienthavorn has also developed a communication tool and screening method to empower individuals in preventing and controlling diabetes and hypertension. As a result, a national policy was implemented, significantly reducing the disease burden in the country. Additionally, he has played a crucial role in addressing the uneven distribution of healthcare professionals, particularly in border and rural areas, by establishing partnerships with village schools to recruit and train high-school students, who later return to their local communities after completing an accelerated medical curriculum.
Dr Maria Asuncion Silvestre from the Philippines has been honored with the United Arab Emirates Health Foundation Prize. Dr Silvestre, a respected clinician and researcher, is also the founder of Kalusugan ng Mag-Ina (Health of Mother and Child), a non-governmental organization in the Philippines. Leveraging her experience as a community practitioner, she has conducted research and developed a protocol to enhance the health of mothers and newborns. The pioneering protocol outlines a simple set of actions for healthcare workers attending to mothers during delivery and their newborns after birth. This protocol, applicable in various resource settings, contributes to bridging the healthcare disparity in mother-and-child care. Dr Silvestre has played a vital role in scaling up the First Embrace campaign for Early Essential Newborn Care, a cost-effective intervention recommended by the WHO, collaborating with the Philippine government and 17 countries in the WHO Western Pacific Region.
The National Center for Chronic and Noncommunicable Disease Control and Prevention in China, a division of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), along with Dr Abla Mehio Sibai from Lebanon, were awarded the prestigious His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Prize for Research in Health Care for the Elderly and in Health Promotion.
The Chinese centre has been actively involved in promoting the health of older individuals since 2013, offering various programmes and initiatives. These include comprehensive research on the causes of illnesses and deaths related to noncommunicable diseases, national surveillance efforts, surveys, death registries, as well as tailored initiatives focused on enhancing health literacy and implementing evidence-based policies. Notable initiatives carried out by the centre involve the development of a toolkit specifically designed for older individuals, training programmes for 2000 primary care staff members, a dedicated health advocacy week for the elderly, and an innovative project aimed at improving the mental and cognitive well-being of over half a million older persons residing in urban and rural areas.
Dr Abla Mehio Sibai, who serves as a Professor of Epidemiology and the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon, has played a significant role in advancing the health of older people in Lebanon and the surrounding region. She has spearheaded a holistic approach to promote healthy aging, including the establishment of an initiative that annually enrolls nearly 600 older individuals at the University for Seniors within the American University of Beirut. Dr Sibai has also provided training to public health professionals and co-led the groundbreaking WHO Global Burden of Disease Study in Lebanon in 2000. Additionally, she conducted the first national survey on noncommunicable diseases and risk factors, which has informed advocacy efforts, policy-making, and programme planning for health promotion. Notably, Dr Sibai developed the "National Strategy for Older Persons" in Lebanon (2020-2030) and has established the Arab Ageing Network and the Centre for Studies on Ageing to foster connections between research and policy at the local, regional, and international levels.
Dr Jorge Francisco Meneses from Guatemala was awarded the prestigious Dr. LEE Jong-wook Memorial Prize for Public Health 2023. Over the course of two decades, Dr. Meneses has been a strong advocate for community participation in hospital care. He established community-based committees that specifically addressed the safety and satisfaction of patients, their families, and the community. By implementing his patient-centered approach, Dr. Meneses significantly enhanced the quality of patient care, prompting the nationwide expansion of his ethical care model. As the current national supervisor for hospitals in Guatemala, he has devised a comprehensive program aimed at improving the quality of services for hospital patients and their families. Notably, Dr. Meneses recently spearheaded a groundbreaking pilot project in the Guatemala South Health Area, which established the country's first integrated network of health services, with a particular emphasis on serving underserved communities. His accomplishments played a pivotal role in the adoption of a national strategy for integrated health services networks, making Guatemala the first country in Central America to implement such an initiative.
Dr. Mariam Athbi Al Jalahma from Bahrain has been honored with the Nelson Mandela Award for Health Promotion. Alongside her role as the Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain's National Health Regulatory Authority, Dr. Al Jalahma has held key positions in government and academic institutions within her country. She has made significant contributions to the advancement of primary healthcare, child and adolescent health, chronic disease management, and anti-smoking efforts through the formulation of national and regional strategies. Currently, Dr. Al Jalahma is leading impactful initiatives including the establishment of a national accreditation system for healthcare institutions, the digital transformation of the National Health Regulatory Authority, and various endeavors aimed at enhancing efficiency and excellence in the healthcare sector. Additionally, she is a respected advocate for health promotion throughout all countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, utilizing various communication platforms to amplify her voice.
