Hilton Humanitarian Prize Awarded to PATH

Seattle, August 18, 2009 — PATH, a nonprofit organization that uses innovative technologies and solutions to solve global health problems, has been selected to receive the 2009 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize of $1.5 million. The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation presents the annual award, the world’s largest humanitarian prize, to an organization that is significantly alleviating human suffering. The prize will be presented on September 21 in Washington, DC, with keynote speaker Muhammad Yunus, who is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, founder of the Grameen Bank, and former Hilton Prize juror.

Since its inception in 1977, PATH has worked to improve the health of people around the world by advancing technologies, strengthening systems, and encouraging healthy behaviors. PATH currently works in more than 70 countries in the areas of health technologies, maternal and child health, reproductive health, vaccines and immunization, and emerging and epidemic diseases. The organization leverages public- and private-sector resources to create solutions that are appropriate, affordable, and accessible for the people who need them the most, especially those in developing countries.

“Bringing new ideas and technologies to the toughest global health challenges and scaling them up at low prices, often hand-in-hand with the private sector, PATH is having a profound impact on the health and quality of life of millions of men, women, and children around the world,” said Steven M. Hilton, president and CEO of the Hilton Foundation.

According to Dr. Christopher J. Elias, PATH’s president and CEO, “PATH is honored to be selected for the prestigious Hilton Humanitarian Prize. We will use the Prize funds as innovation capital to support new initiatives in areas we've identified as critical to PATH’s mission: accelerating innovation in product development and introduction; bringing to scale essential health solutions and programs; and expanding our field presence, especially in Africa.”