According to the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr. Amr Kandil, Deputy Minister of Health and Population for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, has won the Nelson Mandela Award for Health Promotion for 2026, in recognition of his contributions over more than 25 years in serving Egyptian and regional public health.
Established in 2019 at the initiative of the Ministers of Health of the WHO African Region Member States to mark the centenary of Nelson Mandela’s birth, the Nelson Mandela Award for Health Promotion honors exceptional contributions that go beyond the scope of normal professional duties.
Dr. Kandil’s notable achievements include securing World Health Organization certifications confirming Egypt’s elimination of polio, measles, rubella, trachoma, and malaria; achieving control of hepatitis B among children; leading the digital transformation of vaccination systems, birth and death registration, epidemiological surveillance, and quarantine services; and overseeing the accreditation of 129 primary healthcare units alongside the implementation of state-funded treatment in 100 health units.
Dr. Amr Kandil is the first Egyptian to receive this prestigious award, which he is scheduled to accept in May 2026 during the plenary session of the 79th World Health Assembly, in the presence of the WHO Director-General and a representative of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
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