At the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus presented the 2026 Awards for Global Health to Dr Tore Godal, Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis, Dr Mike Ryan, and Dr Heba El Sewedy in recognition of their outstanding lifetime contributions to improving health and well-being worldwide.
Dr Tore Godal was honoured for his transformative leadership in immunization and infectious disease control, helping establish major global initiatives such as Gavi, Roll Back Malaria, and CEPI.
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Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis was recognized for her lifelong commitment to immunization and disease elimination, playing a key role in the elimination of measles and rubella in the Americas.
Dr Mike Ryan received the award for his leadership in strengthening global preparedness and response to health emergencies, including SARS, Ebola, polio, and COVID-19. Meanwhile, Dr Heba El Sewedy was recognized for her humanitarian efforts through the Ahl Masr Foundation, supporting burn survivors and providing aid to communities affected by conflict.
Presented during the Assembly’s High-Level Welcome under the theme “Reshaping global health: a shared responsibility,” the awards celebrate leaders whose work has delivered lasting improvements in global health and inspired future generations to advance health equity worldwide.
