Honours pile up for professor who fights TB
EVERY day, Professor Keertan Dheda wakes up knowing that his is one of the most important jobs in South Africa: trying to find a cure or vaccine for tuberculosis.
His determination and hard work were recognised on July 3 when he was honoured by the National Science and Technology Forum for his contribution to understanding, controlling and treating drug-resistant TB.
The 44-year-old doctor, researcher and scientist works up to 14 hours a day, either at the University of Cape Town (UCT), Groote Schuur Hospital or on his laptop at home, battling what he calls the country’s “key disease of poverty”.
“TB is the number one killer in the country now,” he said. “We have multidrug-resistant TB and extensively drug-resistant TB. But we have now gone beyond and have incurable strains of TB. Part of my job is finding out how to deal with all of this,” he said.
Dheda is the head of pulmonology at UCT’s department of medicine and works with a team at Groote Schuur Hospital that treats complex lung diseases such as TB, asthma and cystic fibrosis.
Some of the technology he has introduced — such as bronchial thermoplasty, which involves treating asthma by heating the lungs and making them less prone to swelling during asthma attacks — is available only at Groote Schuur.
His was a “24/7 job” and it took its toll, he admitted.
“I am married with three young children. They are very supportive,” he said.
“I usually work 12- to 14hour days. I get to work at 8am then work through to about 6.30pm. Then I go home, have dinner and spend time with my family.
“After they go to bed, I’m usually on my computer writing papers, looking at student theses or marking papers. This goes on to about midnight or 1am. That’s just how it goes,” said Dheda, who also tries to fit in cycling and open-water
I have no major aspirations in terms of the professional ladder. What I would like to see is the control of tuberculosis in South Africa. That is my passion
swimming to keep fit and have time with his family.
This work ethic has clearly paid off. Dheda, the son of a tailor and a housewife, was born in Durban in 1969 and lived in Prince Edward Street. He was South Africa’s top matriculant in 1986.
He went to study at the University of the Witwatersrand and worked at the King Edward VII Hospital in Durban. He was granted a British Lung Foundation fellowship, which allowed him to study for his doctorate at University College London.
The National Science and Technology Forum is not the first organisation to recognise Dheda’s work. He has been honoured by the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, the Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship and the South African Medical Research Council.
Dheda’s focus is not on personal gain, but on making a difference in the fight against TB.
“I have no major aspirations in terms of the professional ladder. What I would like to see is the control of tuberculosis in South Africa. That is my passion — that’s what I would like to see happen in my lifetime. It’s what I aspire to and it would make me very happy.”