The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases honored Dr. Tedros Adhanom with the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Humanitarian Award, the Global Health News announced. Established in 1997, the award is presented to "individuals whose outstanding humanitarian efforts and achievements have contributed to improving the health of humankind."

Global Health News reported that Dr.Tedros, in his five years as Health Minister, has led the effort to protect all Ethiopians at risk of malaria.

It cited a case in point that some 20 million long lasting insecticidal bed nets were distributed to cover an estimated 50 million people at risk for malaria, one of the most ambitious and successful efforts in public health history.

He also has improved the quality and access to health services with a campaign that recruited and trained 30,000 health extension workers who live and work in rural Ethiopia, where the vast majority of Ethiopians live.

The report said treatments for trachoma have increased from 1.7 million in 2005 to 13.4 million annually, and more than one million latrines have been constructed in the Amhara state.

Former recipients of the awards include former US president Bill Clinton, and Bill and Melinda Gates, among others.

Article Courtesy of EthiopiaFirst.com