In the event, Marco Antonio Slim Domit recounted the actions of Fundación Carlos Slim during the pandemic, among them, the Temporary Unit COVID-19 and the production of the AstraZeneca vaccine for Latin America.

"The pandemic presented unprecedented challenges, driving the Foundation to focus its capacities and implement immediate innovative solutions to reduce the impact of COVID on the health, employment and lives of millions of people in Mexico and the rest of Latin America", he mentioned.

He highlighted how by joining capacities and wills between the public and private sectors, civil associations and academia, extraordinary results can be achieved.

Likewise, mention was made of the actions carried out by Fundación Carlos Slim, in support for the serious affectations derived from the earthquakes that in 2017 impacted many thousands of people in the country. In health, the rehabilitation of 8 National Health Institutes and 92 health centers stands out, as well as the construction of two new centers and the new hospitalization tower of the Hospital General Manuel Gea González.

In the Carlos Slim Health Awards ceremony, the awards corresponding to the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 were presented, due to the fact that in the three years of pandemic it was not possible to carry out this event with the presence of the winners.

During the ceremony, Dr. Roberto Tapia Conyer, general director of Fundación Carlos Slim, recalled that the Foundation recognizes the work of professionals and organizations of excellence, whose commitment is to improve the health of the Latin American population. The awards consist of a recognition and 100,000 dollars for each of the two categories: Exceptional Institution and Research Trajectory.

Thus, the award winners at this event were:

Exceptional Institution

2020 Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición “Salvador Zubirán” (México)

2021 Patrulla Aérea Civil Colombiana (Colombia)

2022 Asociación Pro Personas con Parálisis Cerebral | APAC (México)

2023 Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria (Argentina)

Research trajectory

2020 Dr. Claudio Lanata (Perú)

2021 Dr. José Miguel Belizán (Argentina)

2022 Dr. Milton Ozorio Moraes (Brasil)

2023 Dr. José Alejandro Madrigal Fernández (México)

Read the biographies of the winners here: https://fundacioncarlosslim.org/ganadores-de-los-premios-carlos-slim-en-salud/

During the ceremony, special recognition was also given to Dr. Rafael Valdez Vázquez for his great work at the head of the COVID-19 Temporary Unit.

Translated by: A.M