Challenges lying ahead with COVID-19 vaccines in South Africa

The Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) cordially invites you to a virtual discussion on Challenges lying ahead with COVID-19 vaccines in South Africa.


Moderator: Prof Mosa Moshabela, Chair: ASSAf Health Standing Committee, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Innovation at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).
Keynote Speaker: Prof Shabir Madhi, Dean: Faculty of Health Sciences: University of the Witwatersrand (Wits)
Respondent: Prof Wolfgang Preiser, Professor and Head: Division of Medical Virology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University (SU) and NHLS Tygerberg

Date:   15 February 2021
Time:   12:00 to 13:00
Platform:   Zoom
To register:  Click here

About Prof Shabir Madhi

A National Research Foundation A-rated scientist, Shabir Madhi is Dean: Faculty of Health Sciences: Wits, Professor of Vaccinology in the School of Pathology at the same institution and Director of the world-renowned Medical Research Council Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit (VIDA). Madhi is the National Research Foundation/Department of Science and Innovation SARChI Chair in Vaccine Preventable Diseases and he is Co-Director of African Leadership in Vaccinology Expertise (ALIVE). He chairs the National Advisory Group on Immunisation in South Africa. Madhi was National Advisory Group on Immunisation in South Africa. Madhi was formerly President of the World Society of Infectious Diseases and he is the immediate past Executive Director of South Africa’s National Institute of Communicable Diseases. As a trained paediatrician, Madhi’s research has focused on the epidemiology and clinical development of vaccines against pneumonia and diarrhoeal disease. These studies have informed World Health Organization recommendations on the use of the lifesaving pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and rotavirus vaccine in children; and influenza vaccination of pregnant women. In 2016, Madhi received the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trial Partnership Award for Scientific Leadership and in 2013 the Medical Research Council Lifetime Award Platinum Medal, amongst other accolades.