Lebanese, Chinese ageing experts honored with Sheikh Sabah Prize

GENEVA: His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Prize for Research in Health Care for the Elderly and in Health Promotion reflects the position of the elderly as a major development priority in health programs, Minister of Health Dr Ahmad Al-Awadhi said Friday.

This came in the minister’s speech before a ceremony of delivering the award within the framework of the 76th World Health Assembly on May 21-30. The elderly deserve care and attention, in recognition of their sincere efforts during their career, he said. The prize shows one of the bright signs and positive initiatives of constructive cooperation between Kuwait and the World Health Organization (WHO) over six decades since Kuwait joined the organization, he elaborated.

Representing Kuwait, the minister expressed his delight at partaking in this occasion. Dr Abla Sibai, dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) at the American University of Beirut and Dr. Wu Jing, head of China’s National Center for Chronic and Non-communicable Disease Control and Prevention won the prize. Sibai was named for the prize due to her prominent contributions in the elderly health in Lebanon. In addition, Sibai has developed the "national strategy for the elderly” in Lebanon and established the Arab network on ageing and the center for geriatric studies for the relation between research and policy at the national, regional and international levels. Meanwhile, the Chinese center was chosen for the prize as it has included a facility for the health of the elderly since 2013 and delivered a broad range of activities that advance health promotion for the elderly. The center aims to improve the mental and cognitive health of older people, which involves more than 700,000 people from nearly 2,000 urban and rural areas. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said "at a time when the world faces many challenges, each of you is an inspiration and a reminder of the progress that can be made to improve health and well-being for all. I salute you all and I thank you all”. — KUNA