REACH Awards 2019 - Honoring game-changers you work with
Here is an exciting opportunity to showcase the groundbreaking research, advocacy and frontline health provision that is taking place at the South African Medical Research Council and in your networks.
The 2019 REACH Awards will be recognizing stories of unsung achievement in disease elimination (Malaria, Tuberculosis, NTDs, and more) and raise awareness of the role of game-changing innovators within the larger global health community. Prominent leaders from across global health disciplines will judge the awards, including:
· Professor Baron Peter Piot, Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
· Dr. Chris Elias, President of Global Development Division, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
· Dr. Maha Barakat, Executive Chair of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership
The winners will receive an undisclosed monetary prize, media visibility and the opportunity to come to Abu Dhabi’s Reaching the Last Mile Forum in November to receive the awards in front of high level global health leaders such as Bill Gates and Dr. Tedros.
About the 2019 REACH Awards
The REACH Awards uniquely honor unsung heroes working in the field of disease elimination who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and commitment. Categories include:
· The Unsung Hero Award honors an extraordinary individual who has played a transformative, frontline role in the field of disease elimination, and has been under-recognized for his or her efforts.
· The Game-changing Innovator Award recognizes an individual who has developed and implemented a creative technology or practice in support of disease elimination.
· The Rising Champion Award celebrates an individual who is championing a cause related to disease elimination.
Nominations will remain open until July 12.
The Awards will be presented at the biennial Reaching the Last Mile Forum in November in front government officials, bilateral and multilateral aid leaders, global health experts, and industry leaders.
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13Th Edition Of The Edctp Forum To Take Place In Madrid, Spain, From 5 To 9 April 2027
We are delighted to announce that the 13th edition of the EDCTP Forum will be celebrated on 5-9 April 2027, at IFEMA Palacio Municipal in Madrid, Spain.
The event will be co-hosted by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) under the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and the Fundación CSAI (FCSAI) under the Ministry of Health, and is co-organised by Global Health EDCTP3 and the EDCTP Association.
Over the past two decades, the biennial European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) Forum has evolved to become a cornerstone event for global health research, bringing together leading voices advancing the fight against infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa. It showcases the latest scientific breakthroughs, highlights impactful capacity-building efforts, and creates a space for vibrant cross-regional collaboration.
The EDCTP Forum 2027 expects to convene 1,500 participants and stakeholders, from researchers, universities and clinicians to governments, regional bodies, civil society, regulators, and public and private R&D partners, drawing participation primarily from Africa and Europe.
Dr Tuelo Mogashoa Becomes First Tagendi Phd Graduate
Botswana-born scientist Dr Tuelo Mogashoa, a PhD Fellow in the ‘Addressing Gender and Diversity Regional Gaps in Clinical Research Capacity’ (TAGENDI) programme, has successfully defended her PhD in Molecular Biology (Tuberculosis Genomics) at Stellenbosch University. Her virtual oral examination, held on 12 January 2025, marked the culmination of years of research and training.
Her doctoral thesis, titled “Rifampicin- resistant tuberculosis: an emerging threat to human health in Botswana,” addresses one of the most pressing challenges in TB control.
Dr Mogashoa is the first of seven PhD fellows from the inaugural TAGENDI cohort to complete her doctoral studies. The TAGENDI fellowship, implemented under the Trials of Excellence in Southern Africa (TESA) Network, is part of a dedicated PhD fellowship scheme launched by EDCTP2 in 2020 to support women in health research across sub-Saharan Africa. Coordinated by the EDCTP Networks of Excellence, the initiative received funding from the UK National Institute for Health and Care Research (Department of Health and Social Care).
As part of her PhD requirements, Dr Mogashoa was expected to produce four manuscripts, with at least two accepted in peer-reviewed journals. She has exceeded this requirement, publishing three peer-reviewed articles from her doctoral work, with a fourth manuscript currently under review.
Her journey highlights the transformative impact of long-term investment in research training, mentorship, and gender equity. As she moves into the next phase of her career, her work promises to make a meaningful contribution to improving TB diagnosis, treatment, and control.
More information:
- Dr Tuelo Mogashoa Successfully Defends PhD in TB Genomics
- Tuelo’s journey: building Botswana’s capacity for cutting-edge health research
Prof. Novel Chegou Elected As Fellow Of The African Academy Of Sciences
Prof. Novel Chegou, EDCTP Senior Fellow and Acting Head of the Division of Immunology at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, has been elected as a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences. This important achievement recognises his scientific leadership and impactful research on tuberculosis, particularly his work on biomarkers to improve diagnosis and patient care in resource-limited settings.
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