{"id":4690,"date":"2026-05-19T07:48:33","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T07:48:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.gmj.ge\/?p=4690"},"modified":"2026-05-19T07:48:33","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T07:48:33","slug":"who-awards-global-health-leaders-2026-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.gmj.ge\/?p=4690","title":{"rendered":"WHO Honours Four Global Health Leaders for Lifetime Achievements in Vaccination, Disease Control"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly in Geneva, WHO<\/a> Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has recognised four distinguished leaders with the Award for Global Health, honouring their lifetime achievements and exceptional contributions to improving health outcomes worldwide. The award, established in 2019<\/a>, recognises individuals whose leadership has delivered tangible improvements in global health. This year’s laureates\u2014Dr Tore Godal, Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis, Dr Mike Ryan, and Dr Heba El Sewedy\u2014were celebrated during the High-Level Welcome, held under the theme “Reshaping global health: a shared responsibility.”<\/p>\n

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4<\/div>\n
Distinguished global health leaders honoured by WHO Director-General at the 2026 World Health Assembly for lifetime contributions to infectious disease control, vaccination, emergency response, and health equity<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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WHO Award for Global Health Recipients and Their Impact Areas (2026)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Recipient<\/th>\nPrimary Focus Area<\/th>\nKey Achievement<\/th>\nImpact Scale<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Dr Tore Godal<\/td>\nImmunization and Infectious Diseases<\/td>\nCo-founded Gavi, Roll Back Malaria, CEPI<\/td>\nMillions protected from vaccine-preventable and neglected diseases<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis<\/td>\nImmunization and Disease Elimination<\/td>\nLeadership in Americas immunization expansion<\/td>\nRegional and global disease elimination programmes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dr Mike Ryan<\/td>\nEmergency Response and Pandemic Preparedness<\/td>\nWHO Health Emergencies Director<\/td>\nGlobal health emergency coordination<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dr Heba El Sewedy<\/td>\nHealth Equity and Community Health<\/td>\nLeadership in primary healthcare integration<\/td>\nUniversal health coverage advancement<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Source: WHO, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Godal’s Legacy in Vaccines and Neglected Disease Control<\/h2>\n

Dr Tore Godal was recognised for transformative leadership in immunization and infectious diseases, having played a pivotal role in elevating vaccines as a global development priority throughout his career. His work helped establish three major global health initiatives: Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance<\/a>, Roll Back Malaria, and CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations<\/a>\u2014institutions that have mobilised billions in funding for vaccine development and disease control.<\/p>\n

As former leader of WHO<\/a>‘s Tropical Diseases Programme, Dr Godal expanded community-based ivermectin distribution and onchocerciasis control efforts, protecting large populations from river blindness and other neglected tropical diseases. His approach translated scientific research into large-scale public health action, demonstrating how institutional innovation and strategic partnerships can extend health interventions to vulnerable populations at scale.<\/p>\n

Recognition of Emergency Response and Equity Leadership<\/h2>\n

Dr Mike Ryan and Dr Heba El Sewedy were also recognised for their contributions to global health security and equity. Dr Ryan, heading WHO’s Health Emergencies programme<\/a>, has been instrumental in coordinating international responses to infectious disease outbreaks and pandemic preparedness. Dr El Sewedy’s work has focused on embedding primary healthcare within health systems and advancing universal health coverage, addressing the structural barriers that leave vulnerable populations without equitable access to essential services.<\/p>\n

The awards reflect a broader institutional shift within the WHO<\/a> towards recognising not only scientific innovation but also the leadership capacity required to translate evidence into sustainable policy and community-level action. See related coverage on global health initiatives<\/a> and infectious disease control programmes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Award Establishment and Recognition Criteria<\/h2>\n

The Director-General’s Award for Global Health, established in 2019, recognises individuals whose sustained commitment has produced measurable health improvements across populations and geographies. The award ceremony at the World Health Assembly, the WHO’s decision-making body<\/a>, underscores the organisation’s commitment to honouring evidence-based leadership in public health.<\/p>\n

“I am honoured to present the Global Health Leaders Awards to four individuals who have made outstanding lifetime contributions to global health,” said Dr Tedros. The 2026 awards are particularly significant as they recognise leaders who have worked across vaccine development, disease elimination, emergency preparedness, and health equity\u2014the pillars of contemporary global health policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Four distinguished global health leaders recognised by WHO Director-General for lifetime achievements in vaccination, infectious disease control, emergency response, and health equity at the 2026 World Health Assembly<\/p>\n

\u2014 Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General (WHO<\/a>, 2026)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Key takeaways<\/h3>\n