A Professor at the University of Cape Town, Liesl Zühlke, is being celebrated after she was recently named one of only 5 women scientists honoured globally by UNESCO & L’Oréal for decades of work transforming care for children with rheumatic heart disease.

The Laureates for the 2026 L’Oréal-Unesco for Women in Science International Awards were announced in May, and the awards ceremony was held in Paris last month.

UNESCO says Zühlke’s research repositioned rheumatic heart disease (RHD) as a socio-political issue tied to health system deficiencies and inequities.

“Her dedication to scientific excellence, leadership in global health, and capacity building activities have improved the lives of vulnerable children with cardiovascular disease.”

Zühlke, who is also the Vice President of the South African Medical Research Council, is a paediatric cardiologist in the Division of Paediatric Cardiology at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital and the director of the Children’s Heart Disease Research Unit at the University of Cape Town (UCT).

The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande, congratulated Zühlke on her award.

“Professor Zühlke’s global recognition is a source of profound national pride and will go a long way in inspiring more young girls to take up careers in science. Her groundbreaking work in paediatric cardiology and rheumatic heart disease shows how South African scientific excellence can translate into tangible, life-saving interventions for our most vulnerable communities.”

Premier Alan Winde has also sent his well wishes to Zühlke:

Zühlke remarked:

“I have endeavoured to be an example to other women in my field by sharing my journey – both the highs and the lows – to show that success does not come without hard work, sacrifice and the support of others, but that it does not have to mean losing who you are.”