The Hospitaller Order of St. John of God, which played an important role in treating Ebola patients in Africa over the past year, has been awarded Spain's Princess of Asturias humanitarian award.
In a statement Wednesday, the award foundation praised the centuries-old order's "exemplary assistance work" in providing medical treatment and care for the poor across the world.
The San Juan de Dios order, as it is known in Spanish, was founded in the Spanish city of Granada in 1563. It has 350 centres in 53 countries.
Several of its missionaries died from Ebola while treating patients in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
The 50,000-euro ($54,300) award is one of eight Asturias prizes awarded yearly by a foundation named for Crown Princess Leonor. Other categories include the arts and scientific research.
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