afrol News, 4 December - A Kenyan mid-wife and professional nurse, Pauline Wambui Muhuhu, has been honoured her contribution in primary health care as well as the general work in the East and Southern African region.

IntraHealth International has announced that it has created a named award to honour Ms Muhuhu for her long years of supporting health workers.

President and CEO of IntraHealth, Pape Gaye, presented the inaugural Pauline Muhuhu Leadership Award, with a small cash prize, during a ceremony at the non-profit's North Carolina headquarters this week.

With the annual award, IntraHealth seeks to recognise health workers who dedicate their careers to supporting primary providers in underserved regions of the world. IntraHealth will also create a formal review panel to receive nominations and select future recipients. "We know there are other global health awards out there. However, we see this award as filling a unique niche, with a grand vision that it will grow in meaning over time," says Mr Gaye.

"At IntraHealth, we passionately believe an appropriately trained, highly motivated, fairly paid health worker is at the center of any health programme or functioning health system," explained Rebecca Kohler, vice president of external affairs. "This award recognises public health professionals who help fulfill a promise to the communities we serve - because health workers save lives," she said.

A masters-level nurse-midwife from Kenya, Muhuhu joined IntraHealth in 1981. She has trained thousands of nurse-midwives in lifesaving family health practices, altered policy and professionalised the delivery of primary health care across East and Southern Africa. She is currently Senior Best Practices Advisor on the US Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Extending Service Delivery Project, where she documents and disseminates proven approaches in reproductive health and family planning.

"For the past three decades, Pauline has inspired, mentored, and challenged countless IntraHealth staff members, colleagues, and partners to live up to commitments of health for all - health care that is high quality, accessible, affordable, and sustainable," said a friend and colleague, Maureen Corbett, IntraHealth's vice president of programmes.

IntraHealth International is a US-based non-profit organisation that has served the public health needs of developing countries for 30 years. IntraHealth's mission is to create sustainable, accessible health care by strengthening health workers and the systems that support them.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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