The World Health Organization presented the Director-General’s Award to Egyptian physician Heba El Sewedy during the opening of the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva. The honour recognises her work as founder of the Ahl Masr Foundation and Burn Hospital in advancing burn treatment. Egyptian Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar attended the ceremony.
The World Health Organization has honoured Egyptian physician Heba El Sewedy with the Director-General’s Award for her contributions to burn care. The award was given at the start of the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva.
Ahl Masr Hospital, which opened in 2024, is the first major free burn facility in Africa and the Middle East. It has 60 beds and has raised survival rates for critical cases from 20 percent to 84 percent while cutting permanent disabilities to about 10 percent.
El Sewedy said the recognition shows international support for providing integrated care to burn victims. The hospital is now working with Egypt’s Health Ministry on a telemedicine programme to extend services nationwide.
The group is also helping develop a national strategy for burn treatment and prevention over the next ten years. El Sewedy has received other awards in the past, including the Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice.