PHILADELPHIA — The Center for Global Health in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania is pleased to honor Ernest Madu, MD, chairman and CEO of the Heart Institute of the Caribbean with its first annual Global Health Champion Award. Madu was presented with the award on Thursday, Sept. 15 as part of a celebration for Penn’s newly launched Center for Global Health.
Madu is an internationally recognized authority in cardiovascular medicine and innovative healthcare solutions. He has led multiple transformational health care projects that bridge gaps in access to quality health care delivery in Africa and the Caribbean.
“We are thrilled to bestow Madu with our inaugural Global Health Champion award,” said Glen Gaulton, PhD, vice dean and director of Global Health in the Perelman School of Medicine. “Madu’s commitment to health care quality and access is truly remarkable. His tremendous achievements in global health serve as an inspiration to our students and faculty as we continue to build upon our mission to advance worldwide health equity through enhanced awareness and access to care.”
Madu founded the Heart Institute of the Caribbean (HIC) in Kingston, Jamaica in 2004. The revolutionary health clinic serves as the center of excellence for cardiovascular diseases, occupational health, diabetes care, and general internal medicine in the West Indies. Prior to HIC’s inception, the only option for patients in need of these services was to travel at huge expense to the United States or other countries with more developed health care infrastructure. To date, HIC has provided more than $1 million in free or reduced care to its patients, a significant contribution in an area where 56 percent of hospital deaths are caused by cardiovascular disease.
“This award is a true honor and signifies the increased efforts from the global health community to prioritize non-communicable diseases,” Madu said. “Today, cardiovascular disease is second only to HIV/AIDS as the leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa. I look forward to a continued partnership with the Penn Center for Global Health to combat this growing epidemic and help improve the health and lives of people in need around the world.”
In addition to his role as Chairman and CEO of HIC, Madu has published more than 100 scientific papers in peer-reviewed medical journals and his work has been profiled in leading journals and magazines. He is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the European Society of Cardiology and the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh, and was most recently awarded the fellowship of the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences. Madu is also the Managing Partner of IHS Group, Nashville, Tenn.
Penn Medicine is one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, excellence in patient care, and community service. The organization consists of the University of Pennsylvania Health System and Penn’s Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, founded in 1765 as the nation’s first medical school.
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