South African health leader Precious Matsoso has received the country’s highest pharmacy recognition for her contribution to medicines access, public health policy and health systems transformation.
The South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC) honoured Matsoso with its inaugural National Health Impact Recognition Award at the 2026 National Pioneer Pharmacy Awards.
The award recognises a career that has influenced South Africa’s healthcare system while also contributing to international efforts to strengthen health security and equitable access to medicines.
Deputy Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla and SAPC President Mogologolo Phasha presented the award during a ceremony on the final day of the 4th National Pharmacy Conference on 13 October.
The National Pioneer Pharmacy Awards recognise pharmacy professionals and facilities across the sector for leadership in providing quality pharmaceutical services.
Matsoso’s career has spanned public health administration, medicines regulation, policy development and global health diplomacy.
She served as Director-General of South Africa’s National Department of Health from 2010 to 2019, helping develop and implement policies aimed at strengthening the country’s health system.
Before that, Matsoso led the Medicines Control Council for six years and later served as Director of Public Health Innovation and Intellectual Property at the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Her work has also placed her at the centre of international efforts to strengthen the world’s ability to respond to future health emergencies.
As Co-Chair of the WHO Intergovernmental Negotiating Body, Matsoso played a significant role in negotiations towards the first global pandemic agreement, which was adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2025.
The agreement represented an international effort to improve cooperation following the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic, including strengthening equitable access to health products required during future emergencies.
For SAPC, Matsoso’s recognition also represents the kind of leadership that will be required as the pharmacy profession and wider healthcare sector look towards 2050.
Strong health systems depend not only on healthcare professionals delivering services to individual patients, but also on effective medicines regulation, responsible stewardship, evidence-informed policy and cooperation between institutions.
Matsoso’s career demonstrates the potential impact of leadership operating across those different levels.
Her work in medicines regulation has contributed to systems governing access to health products, while her national and international roles have focused on some of the structural challenges determining whether healthcare reaches people equitably.
The National Health Impact Recognition Award therefore extends beyond recognising individual professional achievement.
It highlights the importance of developing health systems capable of ensuring that safe and effective medicines reach the people who need them, while strengthening preparedness for challenges that can affect entire populations.
The SAPC congratulated Matsoso on the recognition and acknowledged her continued contribution to health systems transformation and the pursuit of equitable healthcare.
Her recognition also places a spotlight on the wider social impact of pharmacy and public health leadership: improving healthcare is not only about treating illness, but about building the policies, institutions and systems that make quality treatment accessible to everyone.
