The African Academy of Sciences (AAS) congratulates AAS Fellow Professor Helen Rees on receiving the prestigious 2026 National Research Foundation (NRF) Lifetime Achievement Award, one of South Africa’s highest honours in research and scholarship. The award recognises individuals whose work has made an extraordinary and lasting contribution to the advancement of science and society over an extended period.

An internationally acclaimed global health leader, Prof. Rees has dedicated more than three decades to improving health outcomes across Africa and beyond. Her work has spanned vaccine-preventable diseases, HIV, reproductive health, regulatory science and public health policy, helping to bridge the gap between scientific evidence and real-world healthcare delivery.

In 1994, Prof. Rees founded Wits RHI at the University of the Witwatersrand, which has grown into one of Africa’s largest and most influential health research institutions. Through her leadership, the institute has played a critical role in the development, evaluation and implementation of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and prevention technologies that have informed national, regional and global health policies.

Prof. Rees has also been a powerful advocate for science-informed policymaking and global health equity. Throughout her distinguished career, she has served on hundreds of national, regional and international advisory and expert committees, contributing to responses to major public health challenges including HIV, Ebola, polio, COVID-19 and mpox. She has further provided leadership through global bodies such as the World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).

The NRF recognised Prof. Rees for her exceptional scientific leadership, international standing and sustained impact on public health policy and practice. Her achievements underscore the transformative power of African-led research and its ability to improve lives at scale.

The AAS celebrates Prof. Rees on this well-deserved recognition and commends her lifelong commitment to advancing science, strengthening health systems and improving the wellbeing of communities across Africa and the world.