Vaccine research conducted in South Africa on nearly 40 000 children has earned Wits professor Shabir Madhi one of the world’s top awards for preventing infectious diseases.
On Tuesday 20 October, Madhi will receive the 2026 Maxwell Finland Award for Scientific Achievement from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) at the organisation’s annual Awards Gala at the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream in Washington DC, in the United States. The NFID is an American non-profit organisation dedicated to educating and engaging the public, communities, and healthcare professionals about infectious diseases across the lifespan. The award honours scientists who have made outstanding contributions to the understanding of infectious diseases and public health.
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Madhi is dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand. As Professor of Vaccinology and Director of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit (VIDA), he has been given the award for generating definitive evidence for vaccines in African communities most affected by disease, which has reshaped both scientific understanding and global health policy.
He was the lead researcher on that landmark study of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, which protect against bacteria that cause pneumonia, meningitis and other serious infections. The study helped support approval of improved vaccines and showed how these bacteria and respiratory viruses work together to cause pneumonia. Today, pneumococcal vaccines are estimated to have prevented hundreds of thousands of child deaths globally. He continues to lead efforts to improve vaccine affordability and access.
Madhi has also led important research on vaccines against rotavirus, the leading cause of severe diarrhoea in young children, helping inform global recommendations for their use in low- and middle-income countries. These vaccines have played a key role in reducing deaths from severe diarrhoea.
A pioneer in vaccinating pregnant women, he led the first global clinical trial of influenza vaccination in pregnancy, showing protection for both mothers and infants. He has also led groundbreaking trials of vaccination during pregnancy to help protect infants against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common cause of severe breathing illness in infants, and Group B Streptococcus, a bacterial infection that can be life-threatening in newborns. His research has contributed to improved prevention strategies for HIV and tuberculosis in children.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Madhi led Africa’s first Covid-19 vaccine trials, providing early insights that helped guide public health decisions. In 2024, he was co-awarded the Albert B Sabin Gold Medal for exemplary contributions in the field of vaccine science and prevention.
In addition to his research, Madhi leads major training programmes in vaccine science and has mentored scientists across Africa through initiatives including the African Leadership in Vaccinology Expertise (ALIVE), co-founded at Wits. His international roles include serving on advisory bodies for the World Health Organisation and chairing South Africa’s National Advisory Group on Immunisation.
His work continues to shape vaccine policy and save lives worldwide.
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