DUBAI: The World Government Summit, an annual forum on good governance held in Dubai, on Sunday awarded Senegal’s Awa Marie Coll Seck for her role in the battle against Ebola.

Coll Seck, the Senegalese health minister, was awarded the title of “best minister” from the United Arab Emirates vice president and Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashed al-Maktoum.

The award was in recognition of her role in defeating Ebola through prevention and information programmes.

The worst-ever outbreak of the deadly virus started in December 2013 in southern Guinea before spreading to two neighbouring west African countries, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

That outbreak killed more than 11,300 people out of nearly 29,000 registered cases, according to World Health Organisation estimates.

The real figure might be significantly higher, however.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2017