User:Roundtheworld/sandbox

==Early life==

==Early life==

George was born on 21 October 1947 in the Portuguese capital of [[Lisbon]]. He is the great-grandson of Charles George, an Englishman who moved to Portugal in the middle of the 19th century to work for the Royal Navy Arsenal in Lisbon, maintaining and repairing ships. He and his wife had 14 children, including nine sons, and thus the surname of "George" is found widely in Portugal.

George was born on 21 October 1947 in the Portuguese capital of [[Lisbon]]. He is the great-grandson of Charles George, an Englishman who moved to Portugal in the middle of the 19th century to work for the Royal Navy Arsenal in Lisbon, maintaining and repairing ships. He and his wife had 14 children, including nine sons, and thus the surname of "George" is found widely in Portugal. <ref>{{cite web |title=Charles George |url=https://www.bhsportugal.org/news/charles-george |website=British Historical Society of Portugal |access-date=4 July 2025}}</ref>

George’s father, Carlos Henrique George, was a doctor and director of the [[Hospital de Santa Marta]] and his mother was Maria Isabel Moura. George had a twin brother who was born a few minutes earlier, named João. He attended the [[Colégio Valsassina]], a private school in Lisbon, where, among others, he studied under [[Avelino Henriques da Costa Cunhal]], a noted lawyer, historian, playwright, painter, designer, and opponent of the ‘’[[Estado Novo (Portugal)|Estado Novo]]’’ dictatorship, who was the father of the Communist Party leader, [[Álvaro Cunhal]]. When he and his brother were 14 their father decided to separate them, sending them to different schools, because they were always playing around and not concentrating on their studies. His brother was eventually sent to England.

George's father, Carlos Henrique George, was a doctor and director of the [[Hospital de Santa Marta]] and his mother was Maria Isabel Moura. George had a twin brother who was born a few minutes earlier, named João. He attended the [[Colégio Valsassina]], a private school in [[Lisbon]] where, among others, he studied under [[Avelino Henriques da Costa Cunhal]], a noted lawyer, historian, playwright, painter, designer, and opponent of the ''[[Estado Novo (Portugal)|Estado Novo]]'' dictatorship, who was the father of the [[Communist Party of Portugal|Communist Party]] leader, [[Álvaro Cunhal]]. When he and his brother were 14 their father decided to separate them, sending them to different schools, because they were always playing around and not concentrating on their studies. His brother was eventually sent to England.

George married the architect [[Maria João Gaudêncio Simões George| Maria João Gaudêncio Simões]] (1948-2006) in 1970. Never having had any doubt that he would work in the field of medicine, he graduated with distinction from the Faculty of Medicine of the [[University of Lisbon]] in 1973 and then worked as an intern in internal medicine at the Hospital de Santa Marta. In 1977 he completed the public health course at the National School of Public Health of Lisbon, becoming a specialist in public health. From 1976, he worked in the municipality of [[Cuba, Portugal| Cuba]] and then in the municipality of [[Beja, Portugal|Beja]], both in the [[Alentejo]] region.

George married the architect [[Maria João Gaudêncio Simões George| Maria João Gaudêncio Simões]] (1948-2006) in 1970, having met her in England. Never having had any doubt that he would work in the field of medicine, he graduated with distinction from the Faculty of Medicine of the [[University of Lisbon]] in 1973 and then worked as an intern in internal medicine at the Hospital de Santa Marta. In 1977 he completed the public health course at the National School of Public Health of Lisbon. From 1976, he worked in the municipality of [[Cuba, Portugal| Cuba]] and then in the municipality of [[Beja, Portugal|Beja]], both in the [[Alentejo]] region.<ref name="APDH">{{cite web |title=Speaker: Francisco George |url=https://www.apdh.pt/evento/3/orador/42# |website=Associação Portuguesa para o Desenvolvimento Hospitalar (APDH) |access-date=4 July 2025}}</ref>

==Career==

==Career==

As a [[World Health Organization]] (WHO) scholarship holder, he took the Family Health Course promoted by the WHO and the [[International Commission on Illumination]] (CIE) in 1978. Between 1980 and 1991, he was employed by the WHO, undertaking missions to [[Guinea-Bissau]], [[Zimbabwe]], China, [[Republic of the Congo]], Brazil, [[Cape Verde]], [[Mozambique]], [[São Tomé and Príncipe]], [[Mali]], [[Madagascar]], [[Lesotho]] and [[Zambia]]. As an employee of the WHO, in 1980 he was appointed head of the WHO Health Services Development Project in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau. In 1986, he became the WHO representative in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau and, in 1990, an epidemiologist for the WHO Global AIDS Program and coordinator of that program in Southern Africa.

As a [[World Health Organization]] (WHO) scholarship holder, he took the family health course offered by the WHO and the [[International Commission on Illumination]] (CIE) in 1978. Between 1980 and 1991, he was employed by the WHO, undertaking missions to [[Guinea-Bissau]], [[Zimbabwe]], China, [[Republic of the Congo]], Brazil, [[Cape Verde]], [[Mozambique]], [[São Tomé and Príncipe]], [[Mali]], [[Madagascar]], [[Lesotho]] and [[Zambia]]. In 1980 he was appointed head of the WHO Health Services Development Project in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau. In 1986, he became the WHO representative in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau and, in 1990, an epidemiologist for the WHO Global AIDS Programme and coordinator of that programme in Southern Africa.<ref name=APDH/>

After a public examination, George became head of the Portuguese Public Health Service in 1992. He was appointed Deputy Director-General for Health in 2001 and reappointed in 2004. He was appointed Director-General for Health, first on 16 August 2005 and then, following a public administration reform, on 6 November 2006 and again on 4 December 2009. On 5 August 2011, by joint order of Prime Minister [[Pedro Passos Coelho]] and the Minister of Health, [[Paulo Macedo]], he was again confirmed in the post. He retired on reaching the age of 70 in 2017. After retirement he was elected as president of the [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|Portuguese Red Cross]] and served in that honorary position for four years.

After a public examination, George became head of the Portuguese Public Health Service in 1992. He was appointed Deputy Director-General for Health in 2001 and reappointed in 2004. He was appointed Director-General for Health, first on 16 August 2005 and then, following a public administration reform, on 6 November 2006 and again on 4 December 2009. On 5 August 2011, by joint order of Prime Minister [[Pedro Passos Coelho]] and the Minister of Health, [[Paulo Macedo]], he was again confirmed in the post. He retired on reaching the age of 70 in 2017. After retirement he was elected as president of the [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|Portuguese Red Cross]] and served in that honorary position for four years.<ref name=APDH/>

George was a member of the National Council for Medically Assisted Reproduction between 2007 and 2010 and has also been a member of the Advisory Board of the [[Tropical Scientific Research Institute]] (IICT), and chairman of the Advisory Board of the National Institute of Health Dr. [[Ricardo Jorge]] (INSA). In 2001, he became a member of the High-Level Health Committee and the Health Security Committee of the [[European Union]]. In 2004, he was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors and the Programme Committee of the [[European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control]] based near [[Stockholm]] in Sweden. He regularly participated in the work of the [[World Health Assembly]], governing body of the WHO, and was an Alternate Member of the WHO Executive Board between 2005 and 2008. In 2014, following Portugal's election to the WHO Europe Standing Committee, he was appointed representative of Portugal for the three-year period, 2014-2017. He was a Visiting Assistant Professor at the National School of Public Health of the [[NOVA University Lisbon]].

George was a member of the National Council for Medically Assisted Reproduction between 2007 and 2010 and has also been a member of the Advisory Board of the [[Tropical Scientific Research Institute]] (IICT), and chairman of the Advisory Board of the National Institute of Health Dr. [[Ricardo Jorge]] (INSA). In 2001, he became a member of the High-Level Health Committee and the Health Security Committee of the [[European Union]]. In 2004, he was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors and the Programme Committee of the [[European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control]] based near [[Stockholm]] in Sweden. He regularly participated in the work of the [[World Health Assembly]], governing body of the WHO, and was an Alternate Member of the WHO Executive Board between 2005 and 2008. In 2014, following Portugal's election to the WHO Europe Standing Committee, he was appointed representative of Portugal for the three-year period, 2014-2017. He was a Visiting Assistant Professor at the National School of Public Health of the [[NOVA University Lisbon]].<ref name=APDH/>

==Publications==

==Publications==

George is the author or co-author of several books and many published scientific articles and has also been invited to write the foreword for several books. He is the author of the Guia de Clínica Médica [Guide to Clinical Medicine], intended for use in Portuguese-speaking African countries, published by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon in May 1983, and of the book Histórias de Saúde Pública [Stories of Public Health], published in Lisbon in 2004 by Livros Horizonte. He is the rapporteur and co-editor of the publication entitled Health in Portugal, published in English under the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union (2007).

George is the author or co-author of several books and many published scientific articles and has also been invited to write the foreword for several books. He is the author of the Guia de Clínica Médica [Guide to Clinical Medicine], intended for use in Portuguese-speaking African countries, published by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon in May 1983, and of the book Histórias de Saúde Pública [Stories of Public Health], published in Lisbon in 2004 by Livros Horizonte. He is the rapporteur and co-editor of the publication entitled Health in Portugal, published in English under the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union (2007).<ref name=APDH/>

He is a member of the Portuguese Epidemiology Association, the Portuguese Association for the Promotion of Public Health, the Portuguese Society of Virology, and the Portuguese Association for the Clinical Study of AIDS.

He is a member of the Portuguese Epidemiology Association, the Portuguese Association for the Promotion of Public Health, the Portuguese Society of Virology, and the Portuguese Association for the Clinical Study of AIDS.<ref name =APDH/>

==Awards and commendations==

==Awards and commendations==

On 30 January 2006, George was awarded the rank of Grand Officer of the [[Order of Prince Henry]], which he received on 5 March from the President of Portugal, Jorge Sampaio]]. On 7 April 2014, he received the Gold Medal for Distinguished Service from the Ministry of Health. On retirement from the ministry of health he was awarded the Grand Cross of the [[Order of Merit (Portugal)]] by President [[Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa]] on 5 December 2017.

On 30 January 2006, George was awarded the rank of Grand Officer of the [[Order of Prince Henry]], which he received on 5 March from the President of Portugal, Jorge Sampaio]]. On 7 April 2014, he received the Gold Medal for Distinguished Service from the Ministry of Health. On retirement from the ministry of health he was awarded the Grand Cross of the [[Order of Merit (Portugal)]] by President [[Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa]] on 5 December 2017. In the same year, he was awarded the Medal of Social Merit by Lisbon City Council. In 2019, he received the 2019 Terra Justa Award (Fafe).<ref name=APDH/><ref>{{cite news |title="Terra Justa" destaca Fafe como "cidade com preocupações humanitárias" |url=https://www.dn.pt/arquivo/diario-de-noticias/terra-justa-destaca-fafe-como-cidade-com-preocupacoes-humanitarias-10753123.html |access-date=4 July 2025 |publisher=Diário de Notícias |date=2 April 2019}}</ref> Also in 2019, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon.