African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) has been chosen to implement these activities in vulnerable populations in select African countries.
Berlin, November 22, 2022 – 2022 Virchow Prize for Global Health laureate, John N. Nkengasong, announces he is dedicating the €500,000 prize endowment to support programmes that will help address health inequities in vulnerable populations. The Virchow Foundation for Global Health will fulfil the endowment to the non-profit organisation and networking alliance, AFENET, to this end. Dr Nkengasong was awarded with the inaugural Virchow Prize on October 15, 2022 in Berlin in the presence of several hundred distinguished international guests from the global health community, diplomats, political leaders, and scientists from all over the world.
AFENET is a networking and service alliance of field epidemiology and laboratory training programmes with headquarters in Kampala, Uganda. Established in 2005 with the vision for a healthier Africa, AFENET operates in more than 40 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean regions of the World Health Organization. AFENET dedicates their strategic priorities to supporting ministries of health in Africa to build strong, effective, sustainable programmes and the capacity to improve public health systems on the continent. Specific goals of the networking alliance include strengthening field epidemiology and public health laboratory capacity to contribute effectively to addressing epidemics and other major public health problems in African countries.
“We at AFENET are very grateful to Dr John Nkengasong for giving us the opportunity to be part of this glorious and historic award. We are excited that he has chosen AFENET to implement the endowment to address inequities in vulnerable populations. We applaud Dr Nkengasong for selflessly dedicating the entire award money to addressing the needs of the vulnerable. We commit to managing the funds prudently for the intended purpose. Congratulations Dr Nkengasong!” says AFENET Executive Director, Dr Simon Antara.
About the Virchow Prize for Global Health
The Virchow Prize for Global Health was awarded for the first time in 2022 under the High Patronage of German Federal President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and is endowed with €500,000. It recognises outstanding lifetime achievements in the field of global health that align and uphold the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. John N. Nkengasong was honoured for his long-standing commitment and contributions to improving health worldwide. His accomplishments in addressing complex global health challenges, making healthcare accessible to the world’s most vulnerable, and implementing systemic and holistic organisations to shaping the global health landscape are unparalleled. Nominations for the 2023 Virchow Prize for Global Health may now be submitted from November 1, 2022 through March 31, 2023. Further information: https://virchowprize.org/nominations/
2022 Virchow Prize for Global Health Award Ceremony Highlights: > Link
About the Virchow Foundation for Global Health
The Virchow Prize for Global Health is awarded by the Virchow Foundation for Global Health, an independent non-profit foundation under civic law. Based in Berlin and Münster, the Virchow Foundation for Global Health was established with the support of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, alongside civil society, and leading experts within global health, to contribute to the improvement of health worldwide. Further information: https://virchowprize.org
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