LEADING WITH SOUL

Professor Dato Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman weighs in on drug policy reform, her aims for higher education and the greatest challenges of her professional life

- Kiran Pillay

A compassionate humanist, Professor Dato' Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman's career reflects her commitment to solving problems through science and reason while upholding human values and dignity. A leading infectious disease expert, Adeeba focused much of her career on global prevention, treatment, research and advocacy of HIV and AIDS.

Among her numerous achievements, Adeeba pushed to establish the Centre of Excellence for Research in AIDS (CERIA) at the University of Malaya, a multidisciplinary research centre dedicated to community-focused HIV research. She is also the current chairman of the Malaysian AIDS Foundation (MAF) and one of 10 global experts on the World Health Organisation (WHO) Science Council, helping shape global health policy.

In 2022, she completed a two-year term as president of the International AIDS Society (IAS), making history as the first Asian woman to assume the role. In the same year, Adeeba became the first Malaysian commissioner of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, which advocates for drug policy reform grounded in science, human rights, public health and security. In 2023, Adeeba was appointed CEO of Monash University Malaysia and pro-vice-chancellor and president (Malaysia) for Monash University Australia.

The first case of AIDS was reported in Malaysia in 1986 while Adeeba was still in medical school at Monash University. “Initially, I wanted to be a cardiologist, but it’s a one-organ speciality,” Adeeba recalls, “With infectious diseases, it’s caring for the complete patient and not just a single organ. That attracted me to the field.” Before returning to Malaysia, Adeeba worked in the now-defunct Fairfield Infectious Disease Hospital in Melbourne, regarding it as a formative experience.