Recognition of results on a global scale: To whom is the WHO award presented to Ziroat Mirziyoyeva given?
WHO Director-General’s Award — a prestigious international award of the World Health Organization Director-General in the field of global health.
The 2026 WHO Director-General's Award was presented to Ziroat Mirziyoyeva for her activities in developing the system of medical care for pediatric oncology and protecting children's health.
The First Lady of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the "Zamin" International Public Foundation Ziroat Mirziyoyeva was awarded the prestigious international award of the WHO — the WHO Director-General's Award 2026 — for her leadership in developing the system of providing medical care to children with oncological diseases and for globally advancing the right of every child to a healthy life.
What kind of award is this?
The WHO Director-General's Award is a prestigious international award of the Director-General of the World Health Organization in the field of global health. It was established in 2019 by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The laureates are personally selected by the WHO Director-General.
This award is given to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in the field of global health and achieved concrete results in protecting public health. The award is presented annually to a limited number of individuals.
For example, in 2024, three laureates, and in 2025, two laureates were deemed worthy of this award. Among them are Nobel Prize laureates, incumbent heads of government, heads of international organizations, and prominent scientists.
In particular, world-renowned figures such as the Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley, Nobel Prize laureates in physiology or medicine Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman, the prominent scientist in the field of global health Peter Piot, and Harvard professor Paul Farmer have also been honored with this award.
Mia Mottley was awarded in 2024 for her leadership on climate change and its impact on human health, as well as her activities as chair of the Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance.
Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman were awarded in 2024 for their scientific research that paved the way for the creation of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 and their enormous contribution to the development of this technology. Their discoveries were crucial in developing effective mRNA vaccines during the pandemic. Karikó and Weissman were also awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 2023.
Peter Piot was awarded in 2023 for his many years of activity in the field of global health and his enormous contribution to public health. He participated in the initial discovery of the Ebola virus and efforts to contain the first epidemic, and subsequently played a leading role in the global fight against HIV/AIDS.
Paul Farmer was awarded posthumously in 2022 for delivering quality medical care to the world's most underserved populations, ensuring equity in healthcare, and his many years of activity on human rights and social inequality issues. He was the head of the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School and co-founder of the international organization Partners In Health, which provides medical care to underserved populations.
Ziroat Mirziyoyeva's leadership in developing the system of medical care for pediatric oncology, as well as her activities in globally advancing the right of every child to a healthy life, were specially recognized.
"Dear First Lady! You are a true fighter for the interests of children around the world, especially children battling oncological diseases, and a defender of every child's right to education and a healthy life," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
This prestigious WHO award became a global recognition of the work being carried out and the results achieved under the leadership of the First Lady in protecting children's health.
