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Population and Community Development Association to Receive Gates Award for Global Health

Posted on: Tuesday, 29 May 2007, 12:00 CDT

WASHINGTON, May 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Thailand's Population and Community Development Association (PDA) is the winner of this year's prestigious $1 million Gates Award for Global Health for the organization's long-term work on family planning and HIV/AIDS prevention. The award will be presented to PDA's charismatic leader, Mechai Viravaidya by Dr. Tachi Yamada, president of the Gates Foundation's Global Health Program at a special awards ceremony on the evening of Thursday, May 31. The awards are part of the Global Health Council's 34th Annual International Conference on Global Health, which is held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.

In 2000, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation established the Gates Award for Global Health in the amount of $1 million. This annual award recognizes organizations that have made major and lasting contributions to the field of global health. Previous Gates Award recipients include The Carter Center, the Centre for Health and Population in Bangladesh, Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, Brazil's National AIDS Program, BRAC and the African Medical Research Foundation.

Some of PDA's greatest health successes are helping to reduce the birth rate in Thailand from over six to two births per woman of child-bearing age. PDA helped families reach their fertility goals and brought about documented improvements in health, education, nutrition, and income, allowing for general economic growth in the whole country. PDA launched pioneer micro-credit schemes, highly successful private sector partnerships, and for-profit initiatives to become the pioneer HIV-prevention organization in the country.

"PDA is one of those rare organizations that changes the way a whole field operates through their example and courage, said Dr. Nils Daulaire, president of the Global Health Council. "With Mechai's inspirational leadership this organization has been able to help Thais transcend cultural stigmas and embrace new attitudes to address serious health issues that were threatening their society. Because of PDA's work it is easier for everyone from medical professionals to parents to effectively address these health matters."

Each year, the International Conference on Global Health brings together a diverse group of nearly 2,000 health practitioners, researchers and policymakers from around the world to share perspectives on critical global health issues. This year's theme is partnerships, and the Council is bringing together non-governmental organizations, corporations, and community and national leaders to discuss efforts to address many different global health issues.

The Global Health Council is the world's largest membership alliance dedicated to saving lives by improving health throughout the world. The Council serves and represents thousands of public health professionals from over 100 countries on six continents. Visit our website at http://www.globalhealth.org/

CONTACT: Laura Barnitz 202.833.5900 x3204 or lbarnitz@globalhealth.org

Global Health Council

CONTACT: Laura Barnitz of the Global Health Council,+1-202-833-5900 ext. 3204, lbarnitz@globalhealth.org

Web site: http://www.globalhealth.org/

Source: PRNewswire-USNewswire

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