TRIBUTE TO DR VICKI PINKNEY ATKINSON

DR VICKI PINKNEY ATKINSON

The NCD community together with local and global stakeholders are shocked and heartbroken by the passing of Dr Vicki Pinkney-Atkinson, Director of the South African Non-Communicable Disease Alliance (SANCDA+). Dr Vicki was highly respected for her passionate activism based on achieving human rights-based, integrated people-centred care for people living with NCDs and mental health conditions (NCDs+) and their families and caregivers. She was dedicated and fearless in her engagement with stakeholders including the government to ensure that the rights of PLWNCDs/MHC are promoted and protected at all times.

Dr Vicki, herself lived with more than 20 NCDs, since birth and never enjoyed the privileges and benefits of health insurance. Despite her most productive years being affected by her multiple, debilitating chronic conditions, she persisted in her advocacy for a better quality of life and access to appropriate diagnostics and treatment among all NCDs+ especially those who are most vulnerable. Dr Vicki started the SANCDA+ in 2011 and continued leading the organisation until her untimely death.

It was her driving force to achieve equitable access to services by all, and working together with other civil society groups, encompassing participatory and consensus-driven processes that eventually led to the approval of the National Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs (2022 – 2027).  This momentous achievement realized after eight years of activism in 2022 remains a critical reminder that unless the prevention and control of NCDs+ are addressed, Universal Health Coverage or development of our people living in LMICs will never be achieved.

For many of us, Vicki was more than a colleague, she was a friend, a mentor, and a leader who truly lived Ubuntu.

Dr Vicki leaves behind a legacy of a giant and her shoes are unlikely to be filled. As we humbly aspire to be a portion of the scholar, leader, and advocate she was, let us never forget her tenacity for change; not because it is fashionable but it is the correct thing to do. As Dr Vicki smiles down upon us, she is comforted that together we will work for a common purpose to keep her excellent legacy alive.

We have lost an icon, and she will never be forgotten in the health community – locally, in the African region and the global NCD community.

We share our heartfelt condolences to her son, David and his wife Caitlin, new born granddaughter, Maeve as well as all her loved ones and friends.

In her own words and signature – A luta continua – the NCDs struggle continues!

HAMBA KAHLE.
END/27 August 2024