Helen Rees, founder and executive director of the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (Wits RHI), has been awarded the L’ordre national du Mérite (National Order of Merit).
Rees’ excellence was recognised by Emmanuel Macron, the president of France. Wits University said in a statement that Rees had received the honour in February from the French ambassador to South Africa Aurélien Lechevallier.
Rees is an internationally renowned health practitioner who has dedicated her professional career to improving global health with a focus on public health in Africa. Recently, she has been actively involved in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Over the years Rees has received numerous national and international awards for her contribution to science and to the South African, African, and global health sectors,” the university wrote on its website.
“She is an Officer of the British Empire awarded for her contribution to global health, and [she] received the Order of the Baobab, one of South Africa’s highest honours, for her contribution to the health of women and children.”
Rees also serves as chair to multiple global boards including the board of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority and the World Health Organisation’s Afro region immunisation technical advisory group.
She is also a member of the South African ministerial advisory committee on Covid-19 vaccines, and is extensively involved in national, regional, and global response efforts to Covid-19, including the development of Covid-19 vaccines, their potential rollout, and utilisation.
Her involvement in health issues extends to her oversight role of the Covax facility that GAVI, CEPI, and WHO are jointly driving.
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