Marion Jacobs

Marian Jacobs is a public health paediatrician, and was the head of the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Cape Town (UCT), where she later served as Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences from 2006 – 2012, prior to her retirement from the university. Her experience and passion include child rights programming, policy, advocacy and education, to which end she was the founder of the Children’s Institute at UCT. She also has a global track record in health research for development, having served in governance roles in related institutions in Bangladesh, Kenya, Geneva, Boston, Washington and South Africa. She has also served Africa-wide initiatives including the African Population and Heath Research Centre; the Doris Duke-sponsored Africa Health Initiative and the Association of Medical Schools in Africa, which she led for a few years. She is now an Emeritus Professor, and continues to engage with the health and development sectors nationally and globally. One of her key current roles in South Africa is as co-chair of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19.