SA recognizes Cameroonian scientist Prof. Muki Shey for TB vaccine race
By Hans Ngala
The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) has recognized Cameroon-born Prof. Muki Shey for “outstanding scientific contributions to health research” in South Africa.
This was during the 9th SAMRC Scientific Merit Awards which recognise excellence in health research.
Muki’s award was in the silver category, meaning it is “conferred to emerging and upcoming scientists and those committed to capacity development” according to a statement from SAMRC which CNA saw.
Muki received the award in his category alongside two other South African scientists in recognition of his work towards his research to find a cure or vaccine for tuberculosis (TB), a disease that currently only has the BCG [Bacillus Calmette-Guérin] vaccine which is only more effective in treating TB in children and not in adults.
Speaking to CNA reporter Hans Ngala in Cape Town, the 43-year-old scholar from Nkumkov-Nseh in Bui Division of the North West expressed gratitude for the recognition and says he knows that finding a vaccine is not easy as it can take 5 years or even 20 years because many trial studies have to be done to test the efficacy of a vaccine.
Prof. Shey who is an infectious disease immunologist at the University of Cape Town (UCT) is also an active member of the Bui Family Union (BFU) Cape Town Chapter and credits his elder brother Prof. Charles Wiysonge who sponsored him through school (while still studying as well) and both of them ended up graduating Doctoral (Ph.D) degrees on the same day from UCT.
Prof. Shey explains that the start of his scientific career was not easy as he struggled at the start of his career in the early 2000s, selling belts and phone covers over the weekends to help him pay for part of his medical school.
Prof. Shey is an infectious diseases specialist and doubles as the Chief Research Officer at the UCT’s Department of Medicine in the Faculty of Health Sciences.
