UCT academic scoops prestigious global health award

Professor Lucy Gilson, the head of the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Health Policy and Systems Division, was the co-recipient of the Virchow Prize 2024, awarded by the President of the German Bundestag (federal Parliament) in a ceremony in Berlin on 13 July.

The Virchow Prize is a major international award that recognises and celebrates outstanding achievements towards “health for all” that are closely linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.

Professor Gilson was bestowed the award along with Professor Johan Rockström who leads the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

“With the Virchow Prize 2024, Gilson and Rockström’s pioneering contributions to the analysis and understanding of the importance of efficient health systems and the decisive role of climate and planetary boundaries to preserve the conditions for healthy lives on our planet earth are recognised and honoured,” noted the Virchow press release.

Working towards a more sustainable, resilient and just world

Gilson’s work focuses on human well-being and sustainability, promoting a more resilient, healthier, safe and just world. Her efforts align with the Virchow Prize’s values of human rights, solidarity and equity in attaining the UN 2030 SDGs.

“The Virchow Prize for global health is a very prestigious award. It is the only award of its kind in global health, and this will be only the third year it has been awarded. I am therefore very honoured to become a Virchow laureate, as a co-awardee with Professor Johan Rockström. I see the award as recognition of all of those who, like myself, work in the field of health policy and systems research (HPSR), an area within the broader terrain of public health,” said Gilson.

“I see the award as recognition of all of those who, like myself, work in the field of health policy and systems research (HPSR), an area within the broader terrain of public health.”

In addition to her role at UCT, Gilson serves as professor of Health Policy and Systems at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom. Her research drives transformative change towards more sustainable, resilient and just health system governance. She advocates for people-centred health systems, translating strategy into tangible improvements through innovative and consistent approaches. Her work has significantly advanced universal health coverage and equitable access to quality healthcare.

Gilson said the award also recognises UCT’s School of Public Health as a research-intensive department, leading critically relevant work to understand health and well-being challenges and support action to address them. The school is recognised nationally and on the continent as a premier research institution and has been a continental leader in health policy and systems research.

Health Policy and Systems Research

In HPSR, Gilson and her colleagues apply multi- and inter-disciplinary perspectives to understand and support systemic action to address complex health and well-being challenges. Health systems comprise all the institutions, organisations, and resources dedicated to promoting, sustaining, or restoring health.

“My work focuses on understanding the political, economic, and other forces influencing health policy change, health systems, and their impacts. It offers critical insights on strengthening health systems to promote health equity and wider social value, as specifically envisaged in SDG 3,” she said.

“Looking to the future, I aim to continue combining research, capacity strengthening, and policy engagement activities in supporting purposeful health system strengthening towards health equity.”

The work also involves capacity strengthening and policy engagement activities. These draw on research insights, offer pathways for research impact, and have themselves been a focus of some of Gilson’s research.

Her advocacy for a holistic and systemic approach to health has influenced global policy and provides a science-based framework for tackling diverse health challenges globally. Her work demonstrates that significant progress can be achieved through interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral research towards the common goal of “health for all”.

“Looking to the future, I aim to continue combining research, capacity strengthening, and policy engagement activities in supporting purposeful health system strengthening towards health equity,” said Gilson. “It is particularly important to support the next generation of researchers and health system practitioners who will lead this area of work to address future challenges.”