RECOGNITION AWARD FOR PROFESSOR SABIHA ESSACK

At a gala dinner on April 15, Professor Sabiha Essack, UKZN’s Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences was honoured with the Minara Chamber of Commerce Recognition Award for her individual achievements and contribution to society.

Professor Essack began her professional career with the BPharm degree in 1988 and practiced as a hospital pharmacist for three years within the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health before returning to the University of Durban-Westville in 1992 to pursue the MPharm degree. As a Wellcome Trust Research Fellow she completed her research towards a PhD at St Bartholomew's and the Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry in the United Kingdom. Her PhD research involved the molecular biology and biochemistry of b-lactamase-mediated resistance in South African nosocomial Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates.

Professor Essack is President of the South African Chapter of the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics and a member of the National Antibiotic Surveillance Forum, the Federation of Infectious Diseases Societies of South Africa and the Islamic Medical Association. She served on the National Executive of the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa from 2004-5.

In recognition of her contribution to transformation in Higher Education she has been selected as co-ordinator of the Africa Higher Education Collaborative, a four-country Ford Foundation-funded initiative addressing student access, retention and success in African Higher Education.

The Vice-president of the Minara Chamber of Commerce, Mr Solly Suleman said, “The Chamber embarked on the Recognition Awards to honour persons, such as yourself, whose successes and progress are an inspiration to our country and to our community. Highlighting your contribution serves as an example to the younger generation and sets a goal for others to emulate.”