Retired academic and activist Professor Jerry Coovadia passed away during the early hours of Wednesday morning.
“The family of Professor Hoosen Jerry Coovadia is deeply saddened by his passing on this morning and acknowledge the universal outpouring of grief of this icon of the medical fraternity and the Struggle for liberation and human rights,” said the family.
Professor Coovadia's profound contributions to the fields of medicine, academia, and the Struggle for liberation and human rights will forever be etched in the annals of history.
Born in Durban in 1940, Professor Coovadia embarked on a remarkable journey of education and advocacy. He commenced his academic journey at the then University of Natal (now known as the University of KwaZulu-Natal) before venturing to India to pursue his medical studies.
During the 1970s, Professor Coovadia became deeply entrenched in the Liberation Struggle, aligning himself with the United Democratic Front and collaborating with fellow activists. He played an integral role in the preliminary discussions and negotiations at Codesa (Congress for a Democratic South Africa), striving for a more just and equitable society.
However, Professor Coovadia's most enduring legacy lies in his pioneering research on HIV/Aids transmission from mother to child. His ground-breaking work reshaped the landscape of HIV/Aids prevention and maternal-child health. Notably, he addressed the critical issue of breastfeeding and its connection to transmission. At a time when 40 babies out of every 100 mothers were at risk of HIV/Aids infection, Professor Coovadia's dedicated efforts reduced this harrowing statistic to just one baby in every 100 mothers. His tireless commitment to this cause has significantly contributed to nearly eradicating mother-to-child transmission.
In addition to his remarkable research, Professor Coovadia's academic journey was equally illustrious. After completing his undergraduate studies in Natal, he pursued medical education in Bombay, India. He later ventured to the United Kingdom, earning an MSc in immunology from the University of Birmingham, and served at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. Returning to South Africa, he re-joined the department of paediatrics at the University of Natal, rising through the academic ranks to eventually become the head of paediatrics and child health in 1990.
Further testament to his academic prowess, Professor Coovadia was appointed the Victor Daitz Chair in HIV/Aids Research and served as the director of biomedical science at the Centre for HIV/Aids Networking (HIVAN) at the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine.
Professor Coovadia’s funeral took place at his La Lucia home on Wednesday before proceeding to the Riverside mosque.