WHO Honours Global Health Leaders for Lifetime Achievements in Malaria Elimination and Health System Strengthening.
Geneva:
The World Health Organization (WHO) has honoured two distinguished global health leaders—Professor Awa Marie Coll Seck and Professor Sir Brian Greenwood—with the prestigious Director-General’s Award for Global Health. The award, presented by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, recognizes their lifetime contributions to malaria elimination and broader public health advancements.
The accolades were conferred during the High-Level Segment of the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. This year’s award included honorary lifetime achievement recognition for both recipients, reflecting their decades-long impact on global health policy, research, and disease control.
Pioneers in the Fight Against Malaria and Beyond
Professor Awa Marie Coll Seck, a physician from Senegal specializing in infectious diseases, was lauded for her transformative role in health policy and advocacy. As Senegal’s former Minister of Health, she spearheaded landmark health reforms, expanded universal healthcare access, and integrated disease control programmes.
Dr Tedros praised her leadership of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership from 2004 to 2011, where she successfully mobilized political will and resources to strengthen malaria interventions in low-income countries. Her service on several international advisory boards—including the Global Fund, PATH, and other organizations—has shaped the global health financing and vaccine landscape. She currently serves as President of Forum Galien Afrique.
Reflecting on her journey, Professor Coll Seck stated:
“This prize is all the more important in that it symbolizes trust in the values that I defend: solidarity between peoples, science in the service of humanity and the leadership of women in the health system.”
A Lifelong Commitment to Infectious Disease Control
Professor Sir Brian Greenwood, a renowned epidemiologist and infectious disease expert, was recognized for his pioneering contributions to malaria research and vaccine development. Over a career spanning nearly six decades, he has led critical studies in Nigeria and The Gambia, shaping the modern response to malaria and other childhood diseases.
Dr Tedros highlighted his instrumental role in proving the efficacy of insecticide-treated bed nets and in conducting trials for the RTS,S malaria vaccine, the first vaccine approved for widespread use against malaria. Greenwood’s work also contributed to the development and implementation of seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) and the MenAfriVac vaccine, which curbed meningitis epidemics in Africa.
Recalling the stark health realities of his early career in West Africa, Professor Greenwood reflected:
“The pediatric wards were full of measles, meningitis, malaria, polio, and even smallpox. Now, under-5 child mortality has dropped from 400 per 1000 to 40 in some places—a 10-fold improvement within a single lifetime.”
Honouring Global Health Legacy
The WHO Director-General’s Award for Global Health, instituted in 2019, honours individuals who have made significant and sustained contributions to advancing global health. This year’s awards reaffirm the organization’s commitment to celebrating visionary leadership in disease prevention, health equity, and systemic transformation.
“These two global health leaders have not only advanced science and policy but have also saved countless lives,” said Dr Tedros. “Their legacies continue to inspire a healthier and more equitable future for all.”
The recognition of Professors Coll Seck and Greenwood underscores the enduring value of science-based public health strategies, international collaboration, and dedicated service in transforming health outcomes, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
