PATH's Jane Hutchings named "Pioneer of Global Health"

PATH's program leader for Reproductive Health, Jane Hutchings, has been selected by the Washington Global Health Alliance (WGHA) for its 2015 Pioneers of Global Health "Impact" award. She is one of two individual "Pioneer" award winners announced today; the other is Christopher Fox, PhD, of Seattle's Infectious Disease Research Institute. Each award winner was selected on the basis of both their professional achievements and their efforts to nurture and grow Washington's collaborative global health community.

"The third annual Award for Impact recognizes a creative and inspirational leader dedicated to solving global health inequity with a commitment to building partnerships in Washington State as well as on the global stage. Jane Hutchings is a pioneer in the field for reproductive health. Her career over the past 32 years has focused on increasing equitable access to safe and effective contraceptive and reproductive health products and services. She believes that being able to determine whether and when to have children is an essential element of the right to health. Over the course of her career, she has contributed to changing the reproductive health landscape through the first direct pharmacist provision of emergency contraception in the United States, promoting contraceptives as essential medicines within the World Health Organization and national level medicines programs, and working with pharmacies and drug shops in low-income countries to strengthen their capacity to provide quality reproductive health services to young people.

A firm believer in the importance of collaboration, Ms. Hutchings led the establishment of the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition, a global partnership with more than 300 members including multi- and bi-lateral donor agencies, foundations, country governments, and NGOs.

"'I am honored to be recognized by WGHA as a pioneer of global health. It serves as a powerful reminder of the many people whose work I regard as pioneering and which continues to inspire me to this day. I also am gratified by the recognition of the importance of family planning and reproductive health this award signifies, and feel incredibly fortunate to have spent my professional life working in this area about which I remain intensely passionate,' said Ms. Hutchings."

The award will be presented on Thursday, October 8, 2015 at the second annual WGHA Pioneers of Global Health Awards Dinner & Auction in Seattle.

Posted July 27, 2015.