Famed Durban scientists Salim Abdool Karim and his wife Quarraisha are to be honoured by the Japanese Government for their work on HIV and COVID-19, and will receive the fourth Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize in the medical research category.
Professor Abdool Karim is the director of the Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa (Caprisa) in Durban and former head of the COVID-19 ministerial advisory committee, while his wife is Caprisa’s associate scientific director.
“The prize honours individuals or organisations with outstanding achievements in the fields of medical research and medical services to combat infectious and other diseases in Africa, thus contributing to the health and welfare of the African people and of all humankind,” the Japanese Government said.
The awards ceremony will be held at the eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Tunisia at the end of August.
The prize comprises a citation and medal for each laureate and about R17m for each category.
The Abdool Karims were “deeply honoured to be joint recipients of the prestigious Noguchi Medical Research Award as it affirms that African scientists are leading and making important contributions in the global fight against Aids, TB and COVID-19”, they said.
“This recognition is not just for both of us, but for our research team of more than 300 people, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, statisticians and laboratory scientists. But our work is not done yet. This award spurs us to do even more to prevent and treat infectious diseases in Africa.”
The couple has confronted Aids denial, provided life-sparing antiviral treatments in defiance of government policy, and developed HIV prevention approaches that empower women to protect themselves. They established collaborative HIV research centres, working with international partners on vaccines, immunopathogenesis research, microbicides and antiviral treatments.
They have continued their work in the COVID-19 pandemic, undertaking rapid surveillance, promoting evidence-based prevention and combating misinformation on vaccines.
TimesLIVE article – Japan to honour SA’s spouse scientists for HIV and COVID-19 work (Open access)
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