The Desmond Tutu TB Centre (DTTC) was recently awarded the 2025 Karel Styblo Union Public Health Prize, providing much-needed encouragement for the Centre to continue its seminal tuberculosis (TB) research.

The Centre, based within Stellenbosch University's (SU) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), received the prestigious prize in recognition of its work and impact in TB control over the past decade.

The prize was presented during the closing session of the Union World Conference on Lung Health in Copenhagen late last year. The conference is the world's largest annual lung health gathering, bringing together global experts to coordinate efforts in tackling lung diseases such as TB.

"Receiving this prize acknowledges that, despite global reductions in funding for infectious disease research and aid, the work we are doing at DTTC has made a real difference in South Africa and around the world," said Anneke Hesseling, DTTC Director and Distinguished Professor in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at SU.

"The award is a symbolic gesture that means the world to us. This recognition is truly inspiring for us as researchers, for the communities affected by TB, and for our government partners and funders."

Hesseling emphasised that the DTTC prioritises strong, equitable partnerships and collaborations. "This award sends a powerful message to all our stakeholders, including government and the national TB control programme, that our joint work is making an important impact."

The award arrives at a critical moment, Hesseling noted, given the backdrop of major challenges and ongoing difficulties faced by many organisations and individuals working in TB and HIV research in South Africa due to recent significant funding losses. "It strengthens our determination to carry on. This year's lung health conference was particularly poignant and emotional because so many people and organisations have faced such dramatic challenges."

The prize, awarded in honour of the late Dr Karel Styblo, a former Director of Scientific Activities at The Union, recognises a health worker or community organisation for public health contributions to TB control over a period of ten years or more.

Dr Styblo, a pioneer in TB control, played a key role in developing The Union TB control model that was later adopted by the World Health Organisation as Directly Observed Treatment, Short Course (DOTS).

South Africa has one of the highest TB rates globally. The DTTC's vision is a world free of TB for the next generation, and its mission is to be a global leader in TB research. With this in mind, the Centre's key focus under Hesseling has been to conduct TB research for impact, in partnership with affected communities.

Hesseling, who has led the Centre for ten years, said it has made numerous major contributions during that time, particularly in childhood TB. "We have conducted groundbreaking research aimed at improving TB prevention, diagnosis and treatment in children, which has led to better diagnostic methods, shorter treatments, and more child-friendly treatment options – as well as access to new drugs, especially for drug-resistant TB," said Hesseling. This work has significantly influenced global and national guidelines. Importantly, the Centre continues to partner with healthcare programmes and other stakeholders to scale up research findings and ensure meaningful impact.