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The Director of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa), Dr. John Nkengasong, received the Global Goalkeeper Award 2020 from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The award honors an established person or group who has demonstrated their commitment to global development goals through impactful work during or in response to the coronavirus pandemic in their country and / or around the world.
The award was presented to Nkengasong by Dr. Solomon Zewdu, Deputy Director of Health for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in a small ceremony at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation described Nkengasong as a “central voice” for Africa’s scientific community and a “tireless advocate” for global cooperation and evidence-based public health practices.
Through his role as co-chair of the CDC African Consortium for COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Trials, Dr. Nkengasong is leading the assurance of a variety of late-stage vaccine clinical trials on the continent by bringing together developers, local funders and facilitators for clinical trials, ”the statement read in part.
“This work will be vital to ensure that the most promising vaccine candidates for the African population are identified and scaled up.”
A statement from the African Union (AU) said that Nkengasong thanked the bloc’s hierarchy for its “unwavering support” for Africa’s CDC and its leadership in the continent’s response to COVID-19.
However, he also took the opportunity to warn that the fight against the disease was far from over and called for strong alliances, solidarity and unity of purpose among member states to be maintained.
“We are waging a war, a war that we have to win as a continent. This is the time for Africa to come together, coordinate and cooperate to survive, ”he said.
Meanwhile, Nigerian Hauwa Ojeifo won the Bill & Melinda Gates Goalkeepers award as Global Changemaker of the Year 2020.
Ojeifo is a survivor of sexual and domestic abuse and the founder of She Writes Woman, a movement led by women that gives voice to the issue of mental health in Nigeria.
“She Writes Woman provides mental health support through a helpline, teletherapy and virtual support groups that serve as the first point of contact to ensure that survivors of GBV and those living with mental health problems have access to psychosocial support and confidential counseling. ”Said the Foundation.
Ojeifo is also the first woman and person to testify before the Nigerian parliament on the rights of people with mental health problems and psychosocial disabilities in the country’s attempt to pass its first mental health law.
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