For the first time, Greece is awarded by the UN, with Deputy Minister of Health Irene Agapidakis receiving on Thursday, in New York International Award for our country’s performance in prevention of chronic disease and childish obesity.

The special awards ceremony organized by the UN and World Health Organization and Greece It was among the few candidate countries worldwide that claimed the distinction, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

Mrs Agapidakis expressed her emotion by stressing that “The most important factor in change is strong political commitment. As one cannot build a home without materials, without the right people, without method and reliable design, so effective action can not be developed on prevention issues simply with political promises and good will. Strong political commitment is necessary to translate into practice based on scientifically substantiated practices, evaluation, accountability, viability. Without these elements, political commitment remains a blank letter. I am grateful to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for not even having to convince him of the value of prevention. In addition to his deep knowledge of these issues, he had the vision of a healthier future for every child, for more healthy years of life for every citizen. Thus, he created the portfolio of prevention at the high level of the Deputy Minister of Health just to emphasize the political importance of this project. I thank him for his trust and honor to assign me this mission. The road is not easy, Greece had to fill a 40 -year -old gap on these issues. But with hard teamwork and systematic support from the prime minister, we have managed to cover the lost ground and be able to provide know -how to other countries. “

At the same time, Mrs Agapidakis noted that: “Every time I hear that something is not done in politics, I look for a way to do it, because I am sure it is happening. It takes stubbornness, passion, hard work, but it is done. That is why citizens trust us, this is our duty and our obligation to fight every day for better health for every citizen. “

The UN award highlights Greece’s progress with iconic interventions such as the program “PREVENT“, Through which more than four million citizens have already benefited from free precautionary controls, as well as national action against childhood obesity in collaboration with UNICEF.

Earlier, at the Summit for the Prevention and Control of Chronic Diseases, Mrs. Agapidakis He stressed that the political commitment must be turned into a centered on humans and primary health care. Emphasized that prevention in Greece has been incorporated into the daily lives of citizens, with the Program “PRESSION” to identify timely thousands of incidents and to prevent avoidable losses From chronic diseases.

“Prevention, diagnosis and treatment are not isolated actions. They are a comprehensive care process that respects humans and ensures equal access to everyone. Each statistical element represents a life saved, a family that benefited from timely intervention, a community that has been strengthened, ” Mrs Agapidakis noted.

Finally, the Deputy Minister recalled that Greece is co-chairing the UN Friends Group for obesity and will host the World Conference on Childhood Obesity in Athens in February 2026 in Athens.