Public health prizes and awards United Arab Emirates Health Foundation Prize
The United Arab Emirates Health Foundation Prize was established by the Executive Board of the World Health Organization in 1993, upon the directive of His Highness the Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahayyan, then President of the United Arab Emirates, and on the initiative by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
The Prize is awarded to individuals, institutions or nongovernmental organizations that have made an outstanding contribution to health development since the promotion of the global strategy for achieving health for all by the year 2000, as per the Statutes of the Prize. The prize aims at rewarding outstanding work in health development that has already been accomplished and that has extended far beyond the call of normal duties.
The Prize consists of a certificate of award, a plaque and a sum of money, currently up to US$40 000. The Prize is awarded at a special ceremony during a plenary of the World Health Assembly. It is presented by the President of the World Health Assembly, together with the Director-General of the WHO and a representative of the foundation.
Dr. Thapakorn Jittanoon (Slovenia) accepting the United Arab Emirates Health Foundation Prize on behalf of Dr Worawit Tontiwattanasap (Thailand) in May 2026
Procedure for the proposal and selection of candidates
Any national health administration of a Member State of the World Health Organization, or any former recipient of the Prize, may nominate a candidate for the award. Current and former staff members of the World Health Organization and current members of the Executive Board are ineligible to receive the Award.
The guidelines including the selection criteria (paragraph 4) and adequate documentation (paragraph 6), should be read carefully before the application form is completed.
The application form should include a description of the candidate’s achievements relating to the area of focus of the Prize, and emphasize how the candidature meets the selection criteria, which are included in the Guidelines for the Prize.
Based on applications received by the Director-General of WHO and his/her technical comments, the Foundation Selection Panel meets to decide on the recommendation to be made to the Executive Board, which designates the recipients of the Prize.
