HIV researcher Joep Lange, killed when Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17, was shot down over the Ukraine, will be sorely missed, according to the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society (SAHCS).

Lange and over 100 international AIDS researchers, scientists and activists en route to the 20th International AIDS Conference in Melbourne, Australia, were among the 298 people killed.

“This sad event is a great loss to the international HIV community, and we would like to offer our sincere and deepest condolences to the friends and family of everyone on Flight 17,” said the SAHCS.

Lange was a former president of the International AIDS Society who “made an enormous contribution to HIV research and treatment access, including antiretroviral therapy for prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV”

“We mourn the loss of our colleagues on the Malaysian flight that went down last night”, said Society President Dr Francesca Conradie. “Dr Joep Lange was a long-time colleague and friend; and his work in Africa has had a huge impact on the lives of many.  He will be sorely missed.”

At the time of his death, Professor Lange was Professor of Medicine at the Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam and Senior Scientific Advisor to the International Antiviral Therapy Evaluation Centre, Amsterdam. He was also co-director of the HIV Netherlands Australia Research Collaboration (HIV-NAT) and founded the PharmAccess Foundation, which aims to improve access to health care in Africa through innovative financing mechanisms.

Also killed in the crash was World Health Organisation communications officer Glenn Thomas.

“Glenn had been with WHO for more than a decade.  He came here from the BBC and spent many years providing communications support to the TB Department,” according to the WHO.

“Glenn will be remembered for his ready laugh and his passion for public health,” said the organisation, adding that his twin sister Tracey said he had died doing the work he loved. – Health-e News Service.