Toronto, February 14, 2022—The Grand Challenges Canada team extends their deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Dr. Mwele Ntuli Malecela. We are saddened by the passing of a world-renowned leader in public health and champion for innovation in Africa, especially at the young age of 58. A former member of Grand Challenges Canada’s Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Committee, Dr. Malecela made an important contribution to our work and to our governance.
During her remarkable nine-year tenure with Grand Challenges Canada, Mwele was notably a champion for young global health innovators in Tanzania and throughout Africa. She was also a founding member of our Scientific Advisory Board, through which she played a vital role advising how we support the identification and sustainable scaling up of transformative innovations.
“I greatly valued our time working together, and I extend my heartfelt sympathies to her family and to all who will mourn her absence,” said Guylaine Saucier, Grand Challenges Canada’s Chair. “We were very fortunate to have one of the world’s most respected scientists and researchers guide our work to catalyze innovation that saves and improves the lives of the most vulnerable in Canada and low- and middle-income countries. We express our gratitude for her formative contributions to GCC. She was an ardent ambassador for GCC and she will be greatly missed.”
At the time of her death, Dr. Mwele Malecela was the World Health Organization’s Director of the Department of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
