Prof Adeeba becomes first Malaysian commissioner for Global Commission on Drug Policy

PETALING JAYA: Prof Datuk Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman became the first Malaysian to be appointed as the latest commissioner of the Global Commission on Drug Policy.

Prof Adeeba who is also Universiti Malaya (UM) Centre of Excellence for Research on AIDS (CERiA) director and Malaysian AIDS Foundation (MAF) chairman, had also served as the first Asian president at the International AIDS Society and was the co-chair of the World Health Organisation (WHO) strategic and technical advisory committee on HIV.

In a statement by MAF, the foundation said she was instrumental in influencing the Malaysian Government’s shift in drug policies.

"Her efforts have led to the introduction of harm reduction programmes in 2006 to prevent HIV infections among people who use drugs, such as the needle and syringe exchange programme and methadone maintenance therapy," the statement read.

The Global Commission on Drug Policy was created in January 2011 by a group of personalities from the Americas and Europe, including former heads of state and government to advocate for drug policies based on scientific evidence, human rights, public health, and security.

The commission is currently chaired by former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark.

Prof Adeeba is also currently serving as a professor of medicine and infectious diseases under UM’s Faculty of Medicine.

It was there where she founded the Infectious Diseases Unit – one of the country’s leading infectious diseases and HIV/AIDS tertiary referral centres in 1996.

In 2008, she founded CERiA which runs research activities focusing on marginalised communities such as drug addicts, prisoners and homosexuals in Malaysia.

At the centre, Prof Adeeba oversees multi-sectoral research and programmatic initiative focusing on evidence-based human rights-oriented drug policy reforms, including strategies for strengthening primary prevention, harm reduction and health in the criminal justice settings.

She is also a two-time Merdeka Award recipient – an accolade to recognise and reward individuals and organisations whose work and achievements have contributed to the nation’s growth and inspired greatness in the people of Malaysia.