DURBAN - Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, has heaped praise on epidemiology expert Professor Salim Abdool Karim, who earlier this week stepped down from his position as chairperson of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid-19.
Karim announced that he would step down from the MAC on Covid-19 to continue his work into HIV research and other academic commitments.
Noting Karim as a "a trusted figure for so many South Africans", Mkhize said Karim’s acumen and skill is not lost to us as he continues to pursue his scientific research and innovation to address public health threats that plague South Africa and the globe.
"Professor Abdool Karim has led a team of top scientists who have been of support to the department as a whole, the National Coronavirus Command Council and Cabinet. We thank Professor Abdool Karim for answering the call to serve and remaining steadfast throughout his tenure as a leader in the fight against Covid-19," he said.
In a letter addressed to the minister, Karim said serving on the MAC had been an honour and privilege.
He said when he accepted the appointment at MAC chair last year, he hadn't realised how important science would be in helping South Africa country navigate the complexities of the coronavirus pandemic.
"It has been most rewarding, to work alongside many of our country’s leading scientists from a range of disciplines - South Africa is indeed very fortunate to have so many accomplished scientists in the MAC," Karim said.
He said as the one-year anniversary of his term nears the end, it was time for him to return to his HIV research and academic commitments and he decided to step down from both the MAC and the MAC Vaccines commitee.
"The MAC is well set to continue its good work and to rise to the challenges of dealing with Covid-19. I have been thoroughly impressed with the skills, dedication and commitment of the MAC members and so, I leave knowing full well that advice on our Covid-19 response is in safe hands. I wish to pay tribute to my colleagues who served and who continue to serve on the MAC – it is a labour of love, grappling with an avalanche of new information daily – sifting through fact, fiction, conspiracy theories, assumptions and projections to provide science-based advice in the midst of substantial uncertainty," Karim said.
He added that he wished to acknowledge the significant contributions and expertise of the MAC secretariat who worked tirelessly behind the scenes providing invaluable support.
"From April, I will be re-focusing on my HIV research, especially on broadly neutralising antibodies for HIV prevention, which is a critical stage but has slowed as I have not been able to devote time and effort to it. It has been deeply disappointing to see how little progress we have made in the last few years in preventing HIV in young women in Africa. The novel antibody technologies we have developed could make an important contribution to bringing the global effort of HIV prevention back on track. I will of course remain available to assist the MAC on Covid-19 as and when required and I will ensure that I complete my current Covid-19 obligations to the African Task Force for Coronavirus, The Lancet Commission on Covid-19 and others," Karim said.
He said the Covid-19 pandemic has posed many challenges and hardships but it has also provided an opportunity to develop the country’s capacity to deal with pandemics.
"I am humbled to have had the opportunity to make some small contribution to this process," he added.
Professor Marian Jacobs, who co-chaired the MAC alongside Karim, will continue to hold the fort as co-chair for a few more months. Mkhize said Professor Koleka Milisana will take Karim's role as co-chair. She also serves as a member of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance.
"In addition to Professor Mlisana’s appointment, the incumbent co-chair of the MAC, Professor Jacobs, indicated that the MAC had agreed that a recomposition of the MAC will be necessary to respond to the current evolutions in virology and epidemiology related to Covid-19. The recomposition will see strengthening of the MAC in the fields of virology, bioinformatics and phylogenetics, mathematical modeling, pharmacy and social behavioural change. The names of the full MAC will be announced once the appointment processes have been concluded," Mkhize said.
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