Mukteshwari "Mukti" Bosco Receives 2022 Roux Prize

Mrs. Bosco is recognized for her innovative and impactful use of Global Burden of Disease data to empower women and improve access to rural health care in India

SEATTLE, July 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington today announced Mukteshwari "Mukti" Bosco, CEO and Founder of Healing Fields Foundation, is the recipient of the 2022 Roux Prize, the world's largest award for evidence-based public health achievement. The annual award, sponsored by IHME's founding board member David Roux and his wife, Barbara, recognizes people worldwide for their innovative and impactful use of IHME's Global Burden of Disease data.

"Mukti Bosco's lifelong commitment to improving the health and livelihood of some of the world's most vulnerable populations is an inspiring call to action for public health professionals everywhere," said IHME Director Dr. Christopher Murray. "The Roux Prize recognizes creative problem-solvers like Mukti who are the driving force behind real change. Her determination to overcome daunting barriers and turn evidence into action exemplifies the spirit of the Roux Prize."

Mrs. Bosco is credited with developing one of the first micro health insurance programs in India, which inspired her creation of health awareness and prevention programs centered around women's empowerment and health education in rural communities. Since its inception in 2000, Healing Fields Foundation has trained thousands of women leaders known as Community Health Entrepreneurs (CHE), enabling them to generate income while educating their populations about preventive health care, sanitation, nutrition, and non-communicable diseases and providing access to care through facilitated telehealth. As health advocates under Mrs. Bosco's leadership, they are positioned to observe, evaluate, and intervene in the unique health challenges of their respective communities. Through strategic data collection, which has included tracking health trends through community studies and surveys conducted by mobile phone, they can quickly identify evidence-based solutions to improve access and health outcomes.

"Receiving the Roux Prize reflects the transformative power of our Community Health Entrepreneurs, their communities, and the entire Healing Fields organization," said Bosco. "We will build on this award to continue empowering women to use data and catalyze village health ecosystems."

Healing Field's preventive health education program has helped over six million families in India and is considered one of the most impactful programs of its kind. Evaluated by some of the leading research institutions worldwide, including Deloitte and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, the Healing Fields Foundation has championed gender equality while improving the health and agency of populations in resource-deficient communities in India. Mrs. Bosco is committed to expanding her life's work by deploying more health agents throughout India to improve the health and well-being of 300 million citizens by 2030.

In October, Mrs. Bosco's exceptional contributions to population health research will be celebrated at an awards dinner in London, UK, where she will receive a $100,000 award to support her ongoing work.

The Roux Prize recognizes people who have leveraged evidence-based health data to improve population health. Beginning in September, IHME will accept nominations for the 2023 Roux Prize. Nominations are accepted globally and can include, but are not limited to, staff in government agencies, researchers at academic institutions, volunteers in charitable organizations, or health providers working in the community.

Details on the nomination process for the Roux Prize are available at www.rouxprize.org. Questions about the prize can be sent to [email protected].

About the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)

An independent population health research organization based at the University of Washington School of Medicine, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) works with collaborators around the world to develop timely, relevant, and scientifically valid evidence that illuminates the state of health everywhere. In making our research available and approachable, we aim to inform health policy and practice in pursuit of our vision: all people living long lives in full health.

SOURCE Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation