Double honour for Abdool Karim
IN A DOUBLE accolade, leading South African infectious diseases epidemiologist Dr Quarraisha Abdool Karim has been appointed to the UN 10-Member Group that facilitates the use of technology in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as to the Friends of the Global Fight Against Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria board.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres this month appointed Abdool Karim, associate scientific director at the Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa (Caprisa) and professor in clinical epidemiology at Columbia University in the US to co-chair the UN 10-Member Group for a two-year period.
Abdool Karim is married to internationally acclaimed clinical infectious diseases epidemiologist Professor Salim Abdool Karim.
She was appointed to the 10-Member Group by Guterres together with eminent individuals from civil society, the private sector and the scientific community, following an extensive selection process. Members include Cherry Murray, professor of physics and deputy director for research at the University of Arizona, and Maki Kawai, the director-general at the Institute for Molecular Science at the University of Tokyo.
The group’s first meeting is planned for later this month.
Abdool Karim said it was an honour and privilege to be appointed to co-chair the high-level 10-member technology facilitation mechanism group.
“The SDGs provide an important framework to address inequities and vulnerabilities globally.
“Technology and innovation have an important role to play in leap-frogging our efforts to attain equity to enable everyone to realise their full potential wherever they are in the world.
“I am looking forward to working with my colleagues to advance the SDG agenda,” Abdool Karim said.
Friends of the Global Fight chief executive Chris Collins, said: “They bring a wealth of experience and expertise in their respective fields of scientific research and public policy. We greatly look forward to working with them.”
Friends of the Global Fight did invaluable work in harnessing US resources to support the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and end the HIV/ Aids epidemic, Abdool Karim said.
“I see my role on the board as a natural extension of my scientific work,” she added.
Caprisa board chairperson Bongiwe Ntuli congratulated Abdool Karim.
“I wish to congratulate Quarraisha on this prestigious and distinguished appointment that positions South Africa as an integral partner on the United Nations global agenda on science, innovation, and technology development.”