Media statement

Prominent South African researcher to head Global Forum for Health Research, Geneva.

MRC President, Professor Anthony Mbewu (BA MBBS FRCP MD FMASSAf), has announced that he is leaving the statutory body at the end of the year to take a position as Executive Director of the Foundation Council of the Global Forum for Health Research based in Geneva, as of January 2010.

“After thirteen (13) years at the MRC – five (5) of them as President - I will be leaving the organization on 31 December 2009 to take up a post as Director of a health research organization overseas”, he said.

“It was a difficult decision to leave before the end of my contract; but the MRC will be safe in the capable hands of the Executive Management Committee. Furthermore the MRC Board will lead the process of appointing an Acting President from 1 January 2010; and a new President soon thereafter,” Mbewu said.

He also mentioned that the MRC is renowned the world over as one of the leading health research institutions in the developing world; and I am sure will continue to grow from strength to strength in the coming years.

Professor Mbewu is an Honorary Professor of Cardiology and Internal Medicine at the University of Cape Town and a Foreign Associate of the Institute of Medicine of the USA.

He trained in medicine at Oxford and London universities, qualifying in 1983. He subsequently trained as a specialist in cardiology and in general medicine at the University of Manchester whilst also conducting a research doctorate in preventive cardiology on lipoprotein(a) in coronary heart disease.

In 1994, on his return to South Africa, he was appointed Consultant Cardiologist in the Cardiac Clinic of the Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town. In 1996 he became Executive Director for Research at the MRC and its President and Chief Executive Officer in 2005.

In 2003, Prof Mbewu also chaired the Task team that developed South Africa’s Comprehensive Care, Management and Treatment for HIV and AIDS programme that has enrolled 871 914 patients on antiretroviral therapy.

Internationally, he is the Vice-Chair of the Board of the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance); a member of the Strategy Working Group of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease; US National Institutes of Health; a trustee of Bioventures (South Africa’s only biotechnology venture capital fund); director of Linsela Investments (a social entrepreneurship company); a member of the Advisory Committee for FIND Diagnostics; of the Board of the African Clinical Research Organisation; and a member of the Taskforce for the African Network for Drug and Diagnostics Development (ANDI).

Professor MBewu is known for his work as co-chair of the Inter-Academy Medical Panel (a body that represents 66 of the worlds medical academies). He has served as a member of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee of TDR (UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme on Research and Training in Tropical Diseases), has often served as a technical adviser to WHO and was a member of the Director-General’s External Reference Group for a Research Strategy for WHO.

Professor Mbewu will succeed Professor Stephen Matlin who retires at the end of 2009. Finally, Dr Gill Samuels CBE, on behalf of the Foundation Council, took the opportunity to warmly thank Professor Stephen Matlin for his substantial contribution to the Global Forum and the leadership that he has demonstrated over the past six years.

A decision on who would succeed Prof Mbewu will be made by the MRC Board and Minister of Health in the coming months.

End

For more information contact:
Julian Jacobs
Tel: +27 82 454 4902
julian.jacobs@mrc.ac.za