Procedures

1. To contribute to the improvement of the management of health systems and services the Pan American Health Organization has established the PAHO Award for Administration, which will be competed for annually and will consist of a diploma and the sum of US$ 5,000.This sum will be reviewed as appropriate by the Executive Committee on the recommendation of the Director of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau.
2. The Award shall be conferred on a candidate who has made a significant contribution in his home country and in the Region of the Americas to improving health development, through the management or execution of services and programs, teaching, and research.
3. The Chairman of the Executive Committee shall appoint an Award Committee consisting of three representatives from Member Governments of the Executive Committee, who will discharge their duties for the period of their term of office on the Executive Committee.The Chairman shall fi ll any vacancies that occur on the Award Committee.When there are candidates from countries represented on this Committee, those members shall be replaced by representatives of other Member Governments of the Executive Committee to serve on the Award Committee for that occasion only.The Chairman of the Executive Committee will designate these representatives.
4. The Director of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau shall invite the Member Governments to submit one nomination for the Award. Only one nomination per country will be accepted.
5. The names of candidates shall be submitted by the Member Governments of PAHO through their ministries of health.
6. The names of proposed candidates shall be submitted to reach the Director of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau before 31 March, together with their curriculum vitae and the documentation supporting the nature and quality of the work done.This documentation shall include a brief narrative describing the impact that the candidate’s work has had on the management of health systems and services in the person’s home country and in the Region of the Americas. In order to facilitate the work of the Award Committee, the required data from each candidate should be presented on the standardized form provided by PAHO.This form and the documentation supporting the merits of the candidate should be completed in full as exhaustively as possible, responding explicitly and objectively to each of the questions.All documentation shall be submitted in an original and three copies.
7. The Director of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau shall forward to the members of the Award Committee copies of the documentation submitted, 45 days before the date of the opening of the first meeting of the Executive Committee for the calendar year. In this way, the Award Committee can meet and decide on the Award recipient during the sessions of the Executive Committee and report its decision to the latter.The Executive Committee shall transmit the decision to the Directing Council or the Pan American Sanitary Conference.
8. Nominations received by the Director of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau after 31 March shall be held in abeyance for consideration by the Award Committee the following year.
9. The Award Committee shall have the authority to declare the Award void in the event that no candidate meets the approved criteria.
10. When in any year only one nomination is received within the time limit prescribed, the Award Committee shall have the authority to refer that candidacy for consideration with others received in the ensuing year.
11. Unsuccessful candidates in any one year may be renominated for consideration once only and in the following year. For such renomination, a simple communication incorporating any additional pertinent data shall suffice.
12. The announcement of the winner of the Award shall be made during the meeting of the Directing Council or the Pan American Sanitary Conference.
13. Whenever practicable, the Award shall be presented during the appropriate meeting of the Directing Council or the Pan American Sanitary Conference, the cost of the travel involved being borne by the government concerned.
14. When such presentation is not practicable, alternatives shall include:
    
    

    a)Receipt of the Award at the meeting of the Directing Council or the Pan American Sanitary Conference by a member of the delegation of the recipient’s country, on his/her behalf.
    b)Presentation made in the home country by the PAHO/WHO Representative on behalf of the Director of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau.
    
    

1. Whatever the method of presentation of the Award may be, it shall be accompanied by appropriate publicity issued to the news media, both by the Pan American Sanitary Bureau and the government concerned.
2. The Director of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau shall request Member Governments to give more active consideration to the possibility of making use of the Award to foster the improvement in the management of health systems and services within the framework of the national health services.
3. In order to underscore the importance of the Award and emphasize its contribution to improving administration, education, and research, it shall be associated with a theme related to the Organization’s strategic priorities. Furthermore, the Representative Offices and the regional programs shall play a greater role in disseminating information about the Award and encouraging the nomination of excellent candidates in the respective area.
4. These general rules and guidelines shall be reviewed at any time, as deemed appropriate in light of the experience gained.The amendments approved by the Executive Committee shall be submitted to the Directing Council or the Pan American Sanitary Conference.