The Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI) has donated the Serrano RĂos Award to the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God. It is worth 3,000 euros and was presented at the 10th Meeting of the Diabetes and Obesity Group, held in Alicante. This award recognizes original works published in the last year on basic, epidemiological, or clinical research in the field of diabetes and its complications.
With this initiative, SEMI aims to highlight the work of the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God in its healthcare, and particularly that of internist Manuel GarcĂa Viejo, who died of Ebola in 2014. The society's objective is to underscore the commitment of internists to addressing and researching infectious diseases, such as AIDS and Ebola, among others.
The award was presented last Saturday, January 30th, in Alicante. It was accepted on behalf of the Hospitaller Order by Brother JosĂ© MÂȘ Viadero, director of Juan Ciudad NGO. It will go to support the San Juan de Dios hospitals that suffered the Ebola epidemic in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Brother Manuel GarcĂa Viejo had worked there for 12 years.
âThe responsibility of internists in the field of infectious diseases has been broad and continuous over time. An example of this was that carried out by our colleague Manuel GarcĂa Viejo, so we want to recognize his contribution, as well as that of each of the internists who work daily in this field of medicine,â emphasized Dr. Ricardo GĂłmez Huelgas, vice president of SEMI.
In fact, a third of a general internist's practice is dedicated to the treatment of infections. These professionals, due to their knowledge and skills, are qualified to diagnose and treat infectious diseases, as their comprehensive view of the patient provides a valuable advantage in the treatment of patients with infections.
The challenge in addressing these pathologies lies, first and foremost, in increasing prevention through vaccination campaigns, improving patients' general conditions, or determining the location of these infections and the risk of multi-resistant microorganisms.
Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God
The Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God is one of the world's leading non-profit international cooperation organizations. It currently operates 400 centers and facilities in 55 countries across five continents. It also has 1,100 members, more than 55,000 professionals, and 9,000 volunteers, serving nearly 82,000 people each day.
Its core values include hospitality, quality, respect for people, responsibility, and spirituality. These values, combined with the charitable work the Order has carried out over five centuriesâsince its founding in Granada in 1593âhave earned it numerous awards and accolades over the years.
Among them, the 2015 Prince of Asturias Award for Concord stands out, as a demonstration of his awareness and assistance in addressing vital issues such as the Ebola epidemic. Other awards include the 2006 Balmis Award, granted by the Ministry of Defense; the 6th International Solidarity Award; the Professor Manuel Broseta Foundation Coexistence Award (2014); and the 2014 European Citizen's Prize medal, awarded by the European Parliament.
10th SEMI Diabetes and Obesity Meeting
The presentation of the Serrano RĂos Award to the Order of Saint John of God took place during the 10th Meeting of the SEMI Diabetes and Obesity Working Group, held on January 29 and 30 in Alicante. At the meeting, in addition to the donation of this award, the MIR Clinical Case Award was also presented.
The event included workshops on diabetic foot, autonomic neuropathy, and lipids; keynote lectures on treatments with the new basal insulins, the effects of physical exercise on glucose homeostasis, and glycemic control in patients; meetings with experts; debates; and roundtables on new therapeutic approaches for diabetes, among other topics.
