LSTM consortia colleagues were recognised in the first ever ‘Heroines of Health’ honouree roll at the World Health Assembly Geneva this month.
GE Healthcare, research and manufacturers of medical imaging and information technologies, and Women in Global Health, a movement which strives for greater gender equality in global health leadership, have partnered to recognise women in healthcare around the world.
On 22 May at the inaugural Annual Heroines of Health Awards ceremony at the World Health Assembly Geneva. They honoured a number of women in healthcare around the world, among them colleagues from CouNTDown and ReBUILD.
Prof. Margaret Gyapong from the COUNTDOWN Consortium and Sreytouch Vong of the ReBUILD Consortium were two of the twelve women from around the world to be recognised for the impact of their work, within the global health workforce.
Prof. Gyapong who leads COUNTDOWN’s Social Science research in Ghana, has worked for two decades to incorporate the use of applied social science in health care research in Ghana. She felt humbled and privileged to be recognised for "simply doing her work". She has been instrumental in improving Operations/ Health Systems and Implementation research capacity among research teams in Ghana, Africa and Asia; whilst championing women’s health and rights.
“Being recognized not locally but internationally when you least expect is a great motivation. Incidentally, I started a new job less than six months ago in a very young university. I went there to help build and raise the profile of the institution. Getting this award is a great encouragement for me to work even harder,” said Prof. Gyapong.
Sreytouch Vong has been principal investigator for ReBUILD’s team in Cambodia. She leads a RinGs initiative project on gender, human resources and leadership, and also leads ReBUILD’s research uptake in Cambodia. This engagement with decision-makers around her own research on contracting approaches, and wider research, and her involvement in setting up Cambodia’s Health Researchers’ Forum, has meant that Sreytouch is now a recognised and growing leader in health systems and health workforce strengthening in the country. Beyond Cambodia, Sreytouch is very active in the Health Systems Global community, having completed the prestigious Emerging Voices Health Systems Global Programme, and appearing as an invited speaker on a number of panels.
LSTM’s Sally Theobald who works with Sreytouch on both ReBUILD and RinGs, was delighted to hear of this recognition. “Sreytouch has been developing work and ideas on gender and equity in health with a focus on the health workforce and promoting women’s position and confidence. She has a passionate and personal commitment to research and action for stronger, responsive and inclusive health systems within and beyond Cambodia.”