Wits scientist recognised among 20 Leaders Shaping Health Across Africa
- Wits University
Professor Helen Rees recognised for driving impact across health systems.

Meridian Letters has named Professor , Executive Director of , as one of its 20 Leaders Shaping Health Across Africa.
This is a recognition of 第一吃瓜网 leaders driving real-time impact across health systems, from science and policy to regulation, financing, and emergency response.
An internationally acclaimed, award-winning global health leader, Rees has dedicated her career to advancing public health across Africa, championing vaccine-preventable diseases, HIV, and sexual and reproductive health.
Rees’s inclusion reflects a rare combination of scientific excellence and policy influence. At Wits RHI, she leads one of South Africa’s foremost research and implementation health institutes, with impact spanning vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and modelling on infectious diseases and other outbreak pathogens.
Her influence extends beyond academia, shaping policy, strengthening health systems, and turning evidence into action where it matters most.
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