Umesh Gangaram Lalloo MD, MBChB, FCP, FCCP, FRCP

Professor Umesh Lalloo is a renowned Pulmonologist, Professor, and Chief Specialist. Apart from having served as Dean of the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine (NRMSM), he also serves as Head of the Respiratory and Critical Care unit, Director: Adult HIV Programs, Executive Director: KZN Enhancing Care Initiative, Principal Investigator: International Clinical Trials Unit of the US Division of AIDS and Programme Director of the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI). Professor Lalloo’s career began as a student at the former University of Natal’s Medical School in the MBChB program and in 1993 he graduated with an MD (PhD equivalent). He went on to receive honorary degrees from the American College of Chest Physicians and the Royal College of Physicians in the UK, respectively. In 1986, Professor Lalloo was appointed as a specialist lecturer in the Department of Medicine at the former University of Natal and King Edward VIII Hospital. In 1989, he was appointed as Head of the Respiratory Unit in the NRMSM. From 1993-1995, Professor Lalloo was a visiting clinical scientist at the Royal Brompton National Heart and Lung Institute at the University of London, UK.

Professor Umesh Lalloo is known both nationally and internationally as an expert in the field of Respiratory and HIV Medicine and has been involved in the training of health care workers and the general public in HIV and TB management for many years. In recognition of his leadership skills, the national Minister of Health, Dr. Aaron Motsaeledi appointed him to the Board of Directors of the Medical Research Council of South Africa. He is currently also the International Regent of the American College of Chest Physicians having been re-elected for a second 3-year term in 2010. He was also awarded the Fellowship of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, an award made in recognition of outstanding academic contribution and leadership. He serves on the editorial board of the prestigious international journal, Clinical Infectious Diseases and is a section editor for the International Journal of TB and Lung Diseases. During his illustrious career, he has received many awards including the SA Pulmonology Society Best Publication Award 1997 for best publication in an international peer-reviewed journal; the Golden Peacock Award of the South African Indian Academy for Service to the Community; the SA Pulmonology Society/ Pharmacare Visiting Lecturer Award 1999 – for outstanding service to the development of respiratory medicine in South Africa; the International Governors Award of the American College of Chest Physicians for Community Service for HIV/AIDS Training Programs-2003; the American Association of Physicians of Indian (AAPI) Origin 2002 in recognition of contribution to the advancement of Health Care in Durban and to AAPI’s Medical Education Program. He was listed amongst the top 10% of reviewers for the Chest Journal.

He was elected the Arthur Landau Lecturer of the College of Physicians of South Africa in 2007. He also served as President of the SA Thoracic Society for 2 terms and is the chairperson of the credentials committee of the SA Thoracic Society. He is also Vice-President of the Society of Pulmonologists of the Indian Ocean Islands. Professor Lalloo was the founding co-president of the Pan African Thoracic Society. He was the author of the successful 72 million US dollar grant from the Global Fund in 2002 which brought a huge resource to the province of KwaZulu-Natal for HIV and TB care. He directs one of the largest HIV graduate programs in HIV, a development catalyzed by the Global Fund grant he received. Professor Lalloo and his team at the Enhancing Care Initiative were awarded $10 million over the next four years for medical training and training in the management of HIV and TB. The Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI)is designed to support the United States Presidents Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief’s (PEPFAR’s) goals to train and retain 140 000 new healthcare workers and improve the capacity of partner countries to deliver primary health care.