WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus presented the World Health Prize to the Prime Minister of Barbados and two scientists at the 77th World Health Assembly for their contributions to advancing global health.
The Secretary-General's Award on Global Health, established in 2019, is presented to Her Excellency Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, for her leadership on climate action and health, and for her work as Chair of the Global Leaders' Group on Antimicrobial Resistance.
“Prime Minister Mottley's exemplary leadership in the fight for a fairer, more just and sustainable world is inspiring. WHO considers climate change to be the greatest health threat facing humanity. Her tireless work on climate action is helping to protect the health of all people, now and into the future,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Prime Minister Mottley received the award on 26 May, ahead of the World Health Assembly.
Professors Katalin Karikko and Drew Weissman of the University of Pennsylvania were also honored at the opening ceremony of the World Health Assembly on May 27 for their significant contributions to the development of an mRNA vaccine for COVID-19.
“Professors Carrico and Weissman have played critical roles in reducing the burden of COVID-19 and saving lives during the pandemic,” said Dr Tedros. “Their leadership in this field could play a key role in improving health around the world.”
Mia Mottley is the eighth Prime Minister of Barbados. She became the first woman to hold the position in 2018, winning the largest majority in the country's history. Prime Minister Mottley will be up for re-election in 2022, winning all 30 seats in the House of Representatives for a second term. Prime Minister Mottley currently also serves as Minister of Finance, Minister of Economy and Minister of Investment. In addition to her multiple regional and international roles, Prime Minister Mottley also serves as Chair of the World Health Organization's Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. She has received numerous accolades as a strong voice in support of sustainable policies in the context of climate change and other global challenges.
Professors Carrico and Weissman have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2023. Their discoveries “fundamentally changed our understanding of how mRNA interacts with the immune system,” the Nobel Committee wrote.
Professor Karikko is Professor at the University of Szeged, Hungary, and Adjunct Professor of Neurosurgery at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She is a former Senior Vice President at BioNTech SE, Mainz, Germany, where she worked from 2013 to 2022. For 40 years, her research has focused on RNA-mediated mechanisms, with the goal of developing in vitro transcribed mRNA for protein therapeutics.
Professor Drew Weissman is the Roberts Family Professor of Vaccine Research and director of the Institute for RNA Innovation at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a professor of medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and director of Vaccine Research in the Division of Infectious Diseases.
Dr. Weissman is a physician, scientist and immunology pioneer who has made significant contributions to the field, most notably in collaboration with Professor Carrico in discovering a novel nucleoside-modified mRNA platform that circumvents harmful immune responses.
