Latest news with #AbdoolKarim
TimesLIVE
22-05-2025
- Health
- TimesLIVE
The case of the minister and the HIV activists: are we entering denialism 2.0?
But, explains Anova's Kate Rees, those numbers are incredibly misleading. 'The minister didn't subtract the number of people who were lost from care — those who stopped treatment or died — from the people with HIV who started or restarted treatment. If that was the number we were interested in, we would have reached our targets years ago,' says Rees. She says that's part of the reason South Africa's total number of people on ART has been lingering between 5.7-million and 5.9-million for the past two years. 'Because of people who fall off treatment, we're seeing static programme growth. So we're not seeing significant increases in the number of people on treatment overall. That means that though the 500,000 people they say they've now put onto treatment may have been added to the treatment group, another 500,000 who had already been on treatment could very well also have stopped their treatment during this time. In many cases, it's possibly the same people cycling in and out of treatment.' The health department's struggle, even with US government funding, to keep people on HIV treatment throughout their disease is also reflected in the second '95' of the country's 95-95-95 goals. With the aim to stop Aids as a public health threat by 2030, these UN targets require us to, by the end of this year, have diagnosed 95% of people with HIV, have put 95% of diagnosed people onto ART and to make sure those on treatment use their pills each day, so that they have too little virus in their bodies to infect others (scientists call this being 'virally suppressed'). Right now, the minister said at his press conference, South Africa is at 96-79-94, which means we're struggling to get people who know they've got HIV onto treatment, or to prevent people who are on treatment, from defaulting on drugs. Covid vs the funding crisis So how did South Africa get to a point where the health department and HIV scientists are yet again at loggerheads? Not so long ago, on March 5 2020, to be precise, shortly after South Africa's first SARS-CoV-2 infection had been confirmed, then health minister Zweli Mkhize put the epidemiologist Salim Abdool Karim live on national TV. The scientist's task was to explain to the nation what we knew about the unfamiliar new germ — the cause of Covid-19 — that was already causing havoc in the country. For two hours that evening, the nation sat glued to their TV screens to listen to science; an unthinkable scenario a few days before that. Abdool Karim could do something Mkhize couldn't: break down the cause of Covid, and where we were headed, in language everyone could understand. People were desperate for information and the government used experts — of which there were many — to keep South Africa up to date. The important thing was: Abdool Karim wasn't working for the government. He did chair the Covid ministerial committee, but, like the other scientists who served on it, he wasn't a government employee. He and others were merely people whose skills the health department was prepared to draw on; ironically, most of these were also HIV scientists, the same people who today feel they're being snubbed by government. 'We saw amazing leadership during Covid,' says Linda-Gail Bekker, an HIV scientist who leads the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation and was a co-chief investigator of the J&J Covid jab in South Africa. '[Because of the leadership] private funding followed. But we're not seeing it this time around. My concern is it doesn't feel like anyone [in the health department] is in charge.' It's not surprising Bekker feels this way. The deputy director-general position for HIV and TB has been vacant for five years, empty since Yogan Pillay, who now works for the Gates Foundation, left the position in May 2020. Health department spokesperson Foster Mohale says interviews for the position only started in the past few months. Why is information so hard to get? During the pandemic, there were daily press releases, vaccine dashboards and almost daily meetings with experts on the Covid ministerial committee. Now, other than the odd press conference, information that should be public, or opportunities for the government to respond to media or doctor's questions — is non-existent. We've seen that first hand at Bhekisisa. When we co-hosted a webinar on May 8 with the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society, we invited the current acting deputy director-general, Ramphelane Morewane, to answer clinicians' and journalists' questions. His office told us he was on leave in the days prior, but 'would definitely be there'. But Morewane didn't turn up, no-one was sent in his place, and no-one explained why the health department couldn't make it. As a journalist during Covid, I had the numbers of people like the deputy director-general in charge of vaccines on speed dial. This time around, I'm struggling to get mere copies of important government circulars, like the circular that instructed government clinics how to hand out ART for six months at a time, and who qualifies for it. The health department's February circular with incorrect guidelines:
IOL News
20-05-2025
- Health
- IOL News
HIV research pioneer Quarraisha Abdool Karim joins the Royal Society
Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim, a leading figure in HIV research, has been inducted as a Fellow at the Royal Society, joining an esteemed group of scientists. Her dedication to empowering young African scientists and addressing social inequalities in health continues to inspire the next generations. "Creating a platform for emerging young scientists in Africa - that's our continent's treasure chest," said Abdool Karim, an infectious diseases epidemiologist. As a Fellow of the Royal Society, Abdool Karim joins the ranks of Stephen Hawking, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein, who have been Fellows. She joined six other South Africans, including her husband, epidemiologist Professor Salim Abdool Karim, as a Fellow. The others are: Wits Vice-Chancellor and physicist Professor Zeblon Vilakazi; tuberculosis researcher Professor Valerie Mizrahi; chemist Professor Tebello Nyokong; physicist Professor Bernie Fanaroff; and theoretical physicist Professor George Ellis. For over three decades, Professor Abdool Karim, an associate scientific director of the Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in Durban (Caprisa) has played a leading role in shaping the global HIV prevention field. This is especially in developing prevention technologies for adolescent girls and young women. Her landmark research - the Caprisa 004 trial - demonstrated that antiretrovirals could prevent the sexual transmission of HIV, forming the foundation for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Speaking to the link between her 40-year research career and social justice, Abdool Karim said: 'Who bears the greatest burden of Aids? It is the poorest of the poor where we face a multiplicity of challenges. The burden of infectious diseases and social inequality go hand-in-hand.' She has over 300 peer-reviewed publications and has helped train more than 600 African scientists. Her dedication to mentorship and empowering women in science have inspired the next generation of researchers, ensuring an enduring impact on science and public health research and evidence-based policy. Abdool Karim is a Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York. She holds the John C Martin Chair in Global Health at Caprisa and is pro vice-chancellor (African health) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. As President of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), she is a leading figure in global science leadership, and as the UNAIDS Special Ambassador for Adolescents and HIV, she continues to play a role in providing scientific support for the global Aids response. Speaking to her commitment to her ongoing HIV research, Abdool Karim said: 'Healthy nations are wealthy nations. I see it every day. We remain committed to ending Aids as a public health threat.' Abdool Karim will be formally admitted as a Fellow of the Royal Society at a ceremony in London in July. THE POST
IOL News
20-05-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim's historic election as Fellow of the Royal Society marks a milestone for SA
Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society. Image: Supplied In an achievement that cemented her status as a leading figure in global public health as well as put South Africa on the healthcare map, infectious diseases epidemiologist Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society. In Abdool Karim's career that spans three decades, she has contributed ground-breaking research in the field of HIV prevention. Additionally, she played a vital role in shaping the global HIV prevention landscape, particularly for adolescent girls and young women—a demographic disproportionately affected by the disease. Why This Induction Matters As an Associate Scientific Director at the Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in Durban, South Africa (CAPRISA), Abdool Karim will join an elite cadre of scientists that includes luminaries such as Stephen Hawking, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and Albert Einstein. Her induction into this esteemed institution, which has fostered scientific excellence since its establishment in 1660, is a source of immense pride not only for her but also for the African scientific community. 'Creating a platform for emerging young scientists in Africa - that's our continent's treasure chest,' Abdool Karim stated, pointing to her dedication to fostering the next generation of scientists. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Abdool Karim's Contributions and Achievements Among her most notable contributions is the CAPRISA 004 trial, which demonstrated that antiretroviral drugs could effectively prevent the sexual transmission of HIV. This is a huge deal as this pioneering work laid the groundwork for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a game-changing strategy in global HIV prevention efforts. 'Who bears the greatest burden of AIDS? It is the poorest of the poor where we face a multiplicity of challenges. The burden of infectious diseases and social inequality go hand-in-hand,' Abdool Karim passionately articulated, highlighting the intersection of public health and social justice. Abdool Karim's impact extends beyond her research. With over 300 peer-reviewed publications and her mentorship of more than 600 African scientists, she is devoted to empowering women in science. She currently serves as a Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York, while also holding the John C. Martin Chair in Global Health at CAPRISA and the role of Pro Vice-Chancellor (African Health) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. In her capacity as President of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Abdool Karim epitomises global science leadership. Furthermore, as the UNAIDS Special Ambassador for Adolescents and HIV, she remains steadfast in supporting the global AIDS response. 'Healthy nations are wealthy nations, I see it every day. We remain committed to ending AIDS as a public health threat,' she reaffirmed, underscoring her relentless pursuit to mitigate the HIV epidemic. Professor Abdool Karim will officially be inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society in a ceremony scheduled for July in London, marking another significant milestone in a career defined by innovation and a commitment to the betterment of public health. IOL
