Brazilian Tulio de Oliveira and Zimbabwean Sikhulile Moyo, who have been living in South Africa since 1997, received the 2022 Germany Africa Prize, presented this Friday (11/26) by German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz at a ceremony in Berlin. Two scientists discovered the omicron variant of covid-19, for which they were known and also received insults and threats.
Oliveira is a researcher in biotechnology and directs the Center for Epidemic Response and Innovation (Ceri) at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. He was highlighted as one of the ten people who made a difference in 2021 by the science magazine Nature and entered the list of the 100 most influential people of the American magazine Time this year.
The son of a Mozambican mother, Oliveira moved to South Africa at the age of 21 and has always felt connected to the African continent. Today he is one of the main virologists in the country, specializing in epidemics.
Oliveira was a professor and advisor to Moyo, now one of the most famous AIDS researchers in Africa. With the outbreak of the pandemic, Moyo, laboratory director of the Harvard-Botswana HIV/AIDS Institute, focused on covid-19 in November 2021 and contributed to the discovery of a hitherto unknown virus model.
“The number of mutations was simply incredible,” the scientist recalls in an interview with DW. Moyo compared the results with existing analyzes and posted the information online. Just hours after Moyo, scientists at Ceri led by Oliveira also identified the dangerous variant. Both worked in close collaboration.
Warnings for a new, highly contagious variant spread around the world almost as quickly as the variant became dominant. The World Health Organization (WHO) named it omicron.
The award has been given by the German Africa Foundation since 1993 to African personalities who, in the opinion of the jury, are committed to peace, reconciliation and social progress. Former Botswana President Ketumile Masire, Somali women’s rights activist Waris Dirie and Kenyan IT pioneer Juliana Rotich are some of the winners of the past issues.
top science
“It’s great to be recognized,” says Oliveira in an interview with DW. “But to be honest, we’re not chasing prizes. To do world-class science that truly satisfies us and turn it into life-saving policy. And we care deeply about empowering other African scientists.”
It was a great honor for your colleague Moyo to accept the award on behalf of so many African researchers. He remembers that the Omicron variant was only identified as something completely new thanks to comparison with other viruses in a public database. “The award represents many people. Without the collaboration, we wouldn’t be where we are in such a short time,” he says.
Criticism of the most developed countries
Oliveira is also pleased with the achievements of African scientists. “The pandemic has shown that the African continent can be a scientific leader. Many were surprised by this, but we were not. We’ve invested a lot in people and equipment over the last 20 years,” he tells DW.
However, he says he is disappointed that more developed countries have taken such care of themselves and been unable to help others during the pandemic. “They initially piled up tests, protective equipment, and later vaccines,” he criticizes. “There were also ineffective travel bans. It was very sad. The world had the opportunity to respond together to a global problem and chose a nationalist approach that didn’t benefit anyone.”
enmity instead of glory
After the discovery of the omycron, the world went into “panic mode” again. Borders have been closed and round-trip flights to and from South Africa have been cancelled. The authors of the discovery were provoked and even received death threats. “I got calls from people complaining that I was ruining their vacation. Many said, ‘You scientists talk too much, look what you’re doing,'” Moyo says.
Despite this, the researcher is happy to have discovered the new variant: “We are happy to warn the world. Many infections have been prevented.”
The father of three admits that the pandemic has also affected Moyo’s private life. He found a balance in belief and gospel music and released two albums. “The pandemic has devastated us, reminded us of what is important in life. Friends were unemployed or died. ” says.
source: Noticias
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.