An early-career scientist at Ifakara Health Institute, Polius Pinda (pictured above), has been awarded the “2022 W Harding Le Riche Medal in Epidemiology in South Africa”. Pinda is based at Ifakara, Morogoro attached to the Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences research group.

The Medal is awarded annually for excellence in epidemiology research, says the Director of Science at Ifakara, Dr. Fredros Okumu. Pinda graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2020 with a Master of Science in Epidemiology.

The Chief Executive Director at Ifakara Health Institute, Dr. Honorati Masanja, has these comments on the award: “Congratulations, Pinda on this award as an individual and also for flying high the IHI flag. This is just the beginning.”

For his part, Dr. Dunstan Bishanga, Chief of Party for the PMI-funded Shinda Malaria project, “This is excellent. A huge achievement indeed. Congratulations to Polius for inspiring all of us. keep going.”

About the award
This medal is awarded in memory of the late Professor William Harding le Riche, Professor of Epidemiology (emeritus) at the University of Toronto in recognition for excellence in epidemiological studies.

William Harding le Riche FRCPC (21 March 1916 – 31 December 2010) was a South African–born Canadian epidemiologist. He was Professor of Epidemiology (emeritus) at the University of Toronto.

Le Riche was born in Dewetsdorp, Orange Free State, South Africa and first studied at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, where he gained a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in 1936. He died in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.