Delighted to meet Herzfeld Prize winner - Angus Robertson

The Herzfeld Prize is presented biennially to a living outstanding Jewish woman who has excelled in surgery, medicine, public health or science. The 2024 winner is Dr Mardge Cohen who, for over three decades, has been a fervent advocate for the advancement of women’s health in the USA, Africa and beyond.

Dr Cohen launched the Women and Children HIV Program at Cook County Hospital, Chicago

In a landmark initiative in 1988, Dr Cohen launched the Women and Children HIV Program at Cook County Hospital, Chicago attending to the overlooked community of women afflicted with HIV. Dr Cohen has been at the forefront of pioneering research into HIV testing protocols during labour and has been instrumental in rolling out rapid HIV testing across birthing hospitals throughout Illinois.

In 2004, Dr Cohen co-established the Women's Equity in Access to Care and Treatment (WE-ACTx), a beacon of hope ensuring vital HIV care for survivors of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Furthermore, she directed a critical study aimed at enhancing the consistency of antiretroviral treatment among HIV-positive youth in Kigali, setting in motion strategies that have since been adopted in various regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. Her work continues to set a high standard for equitable care and treatment in the global health sphere.

The Herzfeld Prize, named after Dr Gertrude Herzfeld, is presented by the Edinburgh Jewish Cultural Centre and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. I was delighted to meet Dr Cohen alongside Professor Joe Goldblatt, Chair of the Edinburgh Interfaith Association, to offer congratulations for this prestigious honour on behalf of the Scottish Government.