Prof. Quarraisha Abdool Karim is included in Africa Health 20 because she represents a level of scientific influence that very few African health leaders can match. As Associate Scientific Director of CAPRISA, and through her roles at Columbia University and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, her work has helped shape how the world understands HIV prevention, especially for women and girls.
Her influence is not confined to journals or conferences. It has informed policy, funding, and intervention design far beyond South Africa. In 2025, that influence remained active and internationally recognized, evidenced by her election as a Fellow of the Royal Society and by recognition through the Virchow Prize.
Influence areas: HIV prevention; research and innovation; women’s health; global health science.
