May 27, 2009MADRID, Spain (AP) -- The World Health Organization, which has helped spearhead efforts to contain swine flu, won Spain's prestigious Prince of Asturias prize on Wednesday for its work fighting global killers such as AIDS, polio and tuberculosis.
The jury also singled out the Geneva-based U.N. health organization for its efforts to lower infant mortality rates and reduce tobacco consumption around the world.
"WHO is one of the most respected international institutions for its remarkable work fostering coordination and cooperation between countries in health matters," the foundation said in announcing the award.
WHO has nearly 150 country offices and some 8,000 employees. Along with the Atlanta-based U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it has been at the forefront of the fight against swine flu and efforts to produce a swine flu vaccine.
Some health activists, however, have criticized WHO for focusing so much on the swine flu epidemic, saying it has neglected other serious diseases.
The Asturias Prize announced Wednesday, for international cooperation, is one of eight the Prince of Asturias Foundation gives out yearly.
Last week, British architect Norman Foster won the arts prize. Four other prizes -- in social sciences, humanities, scientific research and literature -- will be announced each week in June. Two others, for sports and "concord," a category that honors those who work for peace or fight poverty, will be announced in September.
Each carries a euro50,000 ($70,000) cash stipend and a sculpture by Joan Miro. The prizes are named after Spain's Crown Prince Felipe, whose formal title is Prince of Asturias, a region of northern Spain.
Last year, the international cooperation prize went to four African malaria research centers and in 2007 it was awarded to Al Gore, the former U.S. vice president and Nobel Peace prize winner, for his work fighting global warming.
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