In memory of our AIDS community colleagues

22 July 2014

The CAPRISA team was shocked and saddened to hear of the loss of 6 colleagues involved in the struggle against AIDS as they were flying on Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur en route to the Melbourne International AIDS Conference.

In particular, we were deeply saddened to hear of the death of Dr Joep Lange and his partner, Jacqueline. Dr Lange, who was a world renowned researcher and former president of the International AIDS Society, was at the forefront of AIDS treatment research when we didn’t even have treatment in South Africa. We at CAPRISA have had a long association with Dr Lange and have spoken on many platforms with him (the photo shows Dr Lange and Dr Quarraisha Abdool Karim speaking in a conference session in California). Dr Lange’s passing and the deaths of our other AIDS colleagues leaves us deeply saddened at this loss to the AIDS community.

Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and friends.

 

Dr Joep Lange (left) with Dr Quarraisha Abdool Karim from CAPRISA