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Awards to Honor Excellence in Inter-American Public Health
Health leaders from throughout the Americas are expected to attend Sept. 29 event
Media Contact: Ashley Gatewood
202-974-3727
WASHINGTON, DC (August 27, 2009) — The Excellence in Inter-American Public Health Awards ceremony and dinner will be held Sept. 29 to honor people who have changed the face of public health and health care in the Americas. The awards are cosponsored by the Pan American Health and Education Foundation (PAHEF) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
The invitation-only event will bring together ministers of health and ambassadors from PAHO Member States, representatives of the U.S. Congressional Border Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and top-level executives from Fortune 500 companies, among others, to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions toward improving the health and well-being of the people of the Americas.
The event will take place concurrently with the 49th PAHO Directing Council, in which ministers of health and other high-level health authorities from throughout the Western Hemisphere meet to set regional health priorities.
At the Sept. 29 ceremony, the following awards will be given: the Abraham Horwitz Award for Leadership in Inter-American Health; the Pedro N. Acha Award for Veterinary Public Health; the Fred L. Soper Award for Excellence in Health Literature; the Clarence H. Moore Award in Voluntary Service; and the 2009 PAHO Award for Administration. Additionally, the PAHO Champion of Health will be recognized.
The PAHEF-PAHO event will be held at the Hall of the Americas at the Organization of American States (OAS), on Constitution Ave. N.W. and 17th Street N.W. from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
For over 30 years, PAHEF has recognized and awarded individuals who have dedicated their lives to advancing public health and health care in the Americas. This is the first time PAHEF and PAHO will present the awards in an evening event.
“While many of the countries in the Americas face considerable public health challenges, the region is home to brilliant people working tirelessly to improve quality and access to health care,” says Edward Kadunc, executive director of PAHEF. “For people living in the United States who have roots in Latin America or the Caribbean, this is of particular interest because their families and loved ones back home are benefiting from these public health improvements.”
“PAHO is very pleased to join with PAHEF in creating such a wonderful political and social opportunity to highlight successful stories and major achievements in public health. This event also will allow health authorities from our Member States to interact and network with multiple partners and stakeholders as they gather for the annual meeting of the PAHO Directing Council,” says Dr. Mirta Roses Periago, director of PAHO.
PAHEF, renowned for supporting health-related projects in the Western Hemisphere, is currently focusing efforts on combating the alarming rise of chronic diseases in Latin America and the Caribbean, in support of PAHO’s Regional Strategy on an Integrated Approach to the Prevention and Control of Chronic Diseases Including Diet, Physical Activity, and Health. Among other activities, PAHEF is working with various corporations to reduce sodium levels in popular foods, spearheading an initiative to prevent childhood obesity, and promoting healthy aging.
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Founded in 1968, the Pan American Health and Education Foundation (PAHEF) is a public 501(c)(3) foundation dedicated to fostering public health programs in the Americas that address major health concerns. PAHEF’s expertise has improved the lives of people throughout the Americas by working with the public and private sectors as well as major public health research, policy, and development groups. PAHEF enjoys a unique relationship with PAHO, the Pan American Health Organization, which serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), founded in 1902, works with all the countries of the Americas to improve the health and quality of life of their peoples. It also serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO).
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