Hoosen Coovadia was an award winning renowned South African doctor, activist and academic, best
known for the contributions he made to medicine and public health which had a profound impact on his
country and beyond. Coovadia obtained his medical degree from the University of the Witwatersrand in
1962. He played a pivotal role in establishing the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health at the
University of Natal present day University of KwaZulu-Natal, where he served as the Victor Daitz
... moreHoosen Coovadia was an award winning renowned South African doctor, activist and academic, best
known for the contributions he made to medicine and public health which had a profound impact on his
country and beyond. Coovadia obtained his medical degree from the University of the Witwatersrand in
1962. He played a pivotal role in establishing the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health at the
University of Natal present day University of KwaZulu-Natal, where he served as the Victor Daitz
Professor emeritus. Coovadia's most notable contributions came during the HIV/AIDS crisis that gripped
South Africa and other parts of the world. His groundbreaking research focused on mother-to-child
transmission of HIV, and he pioneered the use of antiretroviral therapy to reduce transmission rates.
Coovadia's studies provided critical evidence that influenced global HIV/AIDS strategies, leading to
significant advancements in prevention of mother-to-child transmission programs. He actively engaged
in policy development, serving on national and international committees and providing expert guidance
on HIV/AIDS, child health, and public health issues. Coovadia was also an activist for human rights and
against apartheid. He was awarded the 2013 AAAS Award for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility. He
also received the 1999 Star of South Africa Award from President Nelson Mandela and the 2000 Nelson
Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights.
