WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP
BY FIONA WAKELIN
One Jab At A Time
Dr. Glenda Gray provides insight on SA’s current vaccination roll
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RF A-rated scientist, CEO and President of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Professor Glenda Gray is a qualified paediatrician, co-founder of the internationally recognised Perinatal HIV Research Unit in Soweto and is one of the experts on the Ministerial Advisory Committee, co-chaired Professor Salim Abdool Karim, currently advising government on how to combat COVID-19. The committee includes professors from a variety of health, infectious diseases, epidemiology and other specialities. As South Africa proceeds with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine rollout, vaccinating all healthcare workers first, Glenda urges the public to remain ‘patient’, and avoid jumping long queues at vaccination stations, as we are all experiencing a major learning curve which requires us to be agile. ““We know people are desperate and anxious. We hear about fraud but we need names to investigate. We take any fraudulent activity very seriously and would open up a criminal case”, Glenda cautions. Due to an increase in fraud, it is now a requirement that all health workers formally provide their credentials at the vaccination sites. Glenda urges the public to
34 | Public Sector Leaders • March 2021
