Cape Town paediatric cardiologist's pioneering work recognised at L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards

Professor Liesl Zühlke, a paediatric cardiologist at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and Vice President of the South African Medical Research Council, has won the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Award for her work improving care for children with cardiovascular disease, particularly rheumatic heart disease (RHD). This neglected disease disproportionately affects children in poverty, with nearly a quarter of the estimated 50 million RHD cases in sub-Saharan Africa. Zühlke's research has advanced prevention and treatment of childhood heart disease, and she has been instrumental in elevating RHD on Africa's political agenda. She is one of five international laureates honoured in Paris.