In January at the WHO Executive Board meeting, Dr. Alaa Elghamrawy was awarded the WHO 2015 State of Kuwait Prize for Research in Health Promotion for his work establishing Egypt’s Rheumatic Heart Disease program. In 2003, Dr El Ghamrawy noted that over 60% of the total heart operations in Al Mahalla Hospital Cardiac Centre, where he was working, could be attributed to rheumatic heart disease. He worked to establish a small-scale initiative for the early detection and appropriate treatment and prevention of rheumatic heart disease, complemented by community awareness and health worker training. Supported by the WHO country office and civil society groups, the program expanded and in September 2014 the Ministry of Health launched a national program.  The award is $20,000. bit.ly/1z0nSTx