Assistant Director-General for Emergency Preparedness-World Heath Organization (WHO), Dr Jaouad Mahjour, has joined the Al Sumait Prize Board of Trustees representing the WHO.

Dr Jaouad Mahjour is an expert in public health, international health regulations and health security. He brings a wide range of leadership experience in assessing communicable diseases control programmes at national and international levels.

Dr Khaled Al-Fadhel, Director General of the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), member and rapporteur of Al Sumait Board of Trustees, said: "We are pleased to welcome Dr Jaouad Mahjour as trustee to AlSumait Prize Board and especially value his accomplished career and constructive contribution to the health domain. Dr Mahjour, who is a renowned expert in epidemiology and diseases control, joins the Board at a critical time much affected by the covid pandemic, and he will complement the Board's expertise and will provide insight as well as valuable perspectives as we continue to promote the contribution of the Prize to African development.

In response to his appointment Dr Mahjour said 'Al-Sumait Prize presents an important opportunity to acknowledge and support innovative and successful projects that promote progress in Africa’s economic and social development. We highly value the significant efforts made by KFAS to organize this prestigious award. The focus of this year's prize on the "health" theme has never been more timely. We thank KFAS for prioritizing health at a time when the world is trying to control the COVID-19 pandemic that has impacted all countries and each and every individual around the world."

The Call for the 2021 Al-Sumait Prize in Health will close on 30^th June 2021.

The Health category includes but is not limited to initiatives, program, and research projects in the following areas:  Combating the prevalence of diseases in Africa, with a special focus on the utilization of effective frameworks and programs, to address and manage health crises such as SARS, COVID-19, and infectious zoonotic diseases; National capacity building in medical research and medical education; Upgrading and maintenance of national medical facilities; Developing national health policies and successful implementation of the outcomes.

Eligible candidates include organizations and research institutions whose initiatives and programs contributed significantly to solving health challenges in Africa, as well as outstanding researchers who are nominated by their institutions and peers.  

AlSumait Prize Criteria as well as the Application Form can be found via: www.AlSumaitPrize.org/nominations