Africa Reloaded: The Power Of The Collective In Science And Health
WITHOUT DOUBT, COVID-19 HAS EXACERBATED gender inequalities and deepened the chasm for women, as they continue to be disproportionately affected by the pandemic. These unprecedented times have highlighted raging issues around poverty, gender-based violence and femicide.
But these disruptive times have also brought into sharp focus the pioneering work of women in science, medicine, technology and healthcare. A 2019 World Health Organization (WHO) report, Delivered by Women, Led by Men, states that 70% of people working in global health are women, yet only 25% hold senior roles. We believe that they all need to be celebrated.
FORBES AFRICA sat down with some of these resolute women who have been powering through health crises, unwavering, even before the days of Covid-19, and continue to contribute in their own unique way to quell the effects of the pandemic. The list on the following pages is in no particular order.
METHODOLOGY
Relevance in 2020
We looked at significant issues that had an impact on science over the last year, particularly related to Covid-19 pandemic. We reviewed women across industries in both the public and private sectors. We cross-checked our nominees by their contributions and the impact they have had in science. We also reviewed professions that tend to be overlooked either for being too female-dominated or for not being known traditionally to employ women. We interviewed a single individual as a representative or subset of these professions across Africa to gauge their experiences. Several women are still doing ground-breaking work in science and technology, and their unsung contributions will continue to be featured on the pages of this magazine in the issues to come. Some of them work silently on the sidelines, trying to better the lives of others or coming up with solutions to save the planet.
Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim, Virologist
Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim has been at the forefront of health crises since the beginning of her career. “My career in science has never taken the usual trajectory. I chose the career I did because I wanted to wake up every morning knowing that I was doing something I loved and knowing that I would be helping people in the process,” explains Abdool Karim.
Her contribution to science has seen awareness going to deserving causes. She began by raising awareness for Beta Thalassemia in the Durban community in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Her screening ensured parents with the genetic mutation were aware of the malformations it could cause in their children.
“Working at a population level showed me that science also had a social justice component to it and this is where I would find my calling,” says Abdool Karim.
Spurred on by this epiphany, Abdool Karim then went on to study epidemiology and this is where she found her passion as a scientist. This year, she has been at the forefront of the Covid-19 pandemic while still ensuring endemic diseases such as HIV are not forgotten. Her efforts were recognized by Christophe and Rodolphe Mérieux Foundation as she received the prestigious 2020 Christophe Mérieux Prize.
Professor Abdool Karim currently
