Former Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja honoured with CEU Open Society Prize

By Express News Service
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former Health Minister KK Shailaja has been chosen for the celebrated Central European University (CEU) Open Society Prize. She has been chosen for the award in recognition of her dedication to public well being providers.

Open Society Prize, the best civilian recognition by the college, is yearly awarded to individuals of remarkable distinction who serve the beliefs of an open society. Past recipients of the award embody eminent scientific thinker Karl Popper, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Czech President and playwright Vaklav Howell and well-known economist Joseph Stiglitz. In 2020, Nobel Laureate Svetlana Alexeyevich acquired the Open Society Prize.

The award was introduced throughout the digital convocation of the University in Vienna on Friday. “The Open Society Prize is awarded this yr to a unprecedented public servant from the creating world. As minister of public well being within the Indian state of Kerala throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, KK Shailaja Teacher and the devoted employees of the general public well being service demonstrated to the world that decided management, community-based public well being and efficient communication can save lives.

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Her instance will encourage younger girls to enter public service, and Kerala’s file in containing the epidemic offers hope to nations within the creating world. By awarding CEU’s highest award to Shailaja Teacher, the college honours a public servant and feminine chief for her dedication to public well being providers, the bedrock of each open society,” mentioned CEU president Michael Ignatieff.

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Responding to the award, KK Shailaja mentioned she’s honoured to be positioned alongside distinguished individuals who have made an essential contribution to an open society. Shailaja mentioned the world is grappling with a disaster of unprecedented scale, and recalled how Kerala arrange a system to struggle the pandemic.

“When we decided a strategy for battling the pandemic in Kerala, we know that it had to be centred on securing the government’s commitment and accountability to the people, as well as by working in synergy with the civil society. The state adopted an approach to systematically increase the capacity and resilience of the state’s public health system to prepare for effectively responding to other crises in future too,” she mentioned.    

She narrated how the state put in place a system to deal with the disaster, proper when stories began coming a few potential virus spreading in Wuhan. Shailaja mentioned world leaders ought to rise to world challenges and work out new constructive options to construct an equitable society. “As you step out into the world, this is an opportunity for each one of you to change the world and write history. Find that leader in you,” she mentioned addressing the graduates who handed out from the University.

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