Oriol Mitjà, Bonaventura Clotet, the Ilumináfrica Foundation and Sphera Global Health Care have been recognized for their solidarity in the field of health and well-being and their commitment to making the world a better place with the 5th DKV Medicine and Solidarity Awards. The four awardees received their prizes during a gala ceremony that took place on May 24, in the ‘Casa América’, Madrid.

Oriol Mitjà has been rewarded in the category of ‘Solidarity Doctor’ (Médico Solidario), which recognizes an innovative health project of great impact, due to his fight against yaws. In 2012, the FLSIDA researcher discovered that one single dose of azithromycin could cure yaws disease in a rapid, painless and affordable manner. This discovery set the basis for the World Health Organisation’s strategy (called the Morges strategy) that aims to eliminate the disease by 2020 through massive drug administration.

Bonaventura Clotet was awarded the DKV Trajectory Award; the Ilumináfrica Foundation and its project of telemedicine in Chad was awarded the DKV Professional Award; while Sphera Global Health Care received the Digital Health Innovation Award. In addition, María Luisa Manrique Revilla received an extra Trajectory Award for her 21 years of volunteer work training health professionals, young adults and women in Mozambique, and her contribution in securing support for improving the health and education of Mozambican children.

DKV Medicine and Solidarity Awards

The DKV Medicine and Solidarity Awards seek to recognise solidarity initiatives in medicine, health and digital health innovation, and to promote socially responsible companies and professionals of the third sector. Each prize is endowed with 10,000 euros, and the jury is comprised by 13 professionals from different backgrounds related to health and social responsibility.