Dr. Carol Jacobs, MD is a distinguished personality that is very dear to the UN family, especially to those of us who have fought stigma, protected the rights of vulnerable groups and hoped for a world where compassion, love and freedom are pillars of our daily coexistence. Dr. Jacobs has contributed to all three pillars. Placing her knowledge at the service of others, she has contributed decisively to raising awareness about this terrible modern plague which was the source of so much sufferance and pain. Bigotry, irrational fear and homophobia made it worse. But truth, candor and science were mixed into the serum that immunized our societies against adding discrimination to illness. One of the chemists in the Caribbean lab of truth was Dr. Jacobs.

In the division of labour of UNAIDS between sponsor agencies, my organisation the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is in charge of what is commonly known as key populations. In other words, the people at risk might well be my son, my sister, my coworker, my boss, my friend, my classmate, my favourite artist and ultimately myself. By deciding to raise her voice to shed light and clarity on the issue, Carol Jacobs saved many Caribbean lives. Nothing has been as lethal in the pandemic as ignorance, prejudice and rumour. It would seem that speaking up is easy, especially when one has the facts. It’s quite the opposite. When fear is in the air, when prejudice blurs the vision, when attacks are screamed at some of our fellow humans, nothing is more difficult than standing tall and having courage.

Dr. Jacobs was one of the singular individuals who had such courage, showed the way, took the fear away from us and gave us hope. She served for over three decades on so many Boards, Commissions and Task Forces on HIV & AIDS, that it will suffice to say that when most of us knew nothing, or very little, she was already learning, teaching, informing and helping. The job is far from done, but we have received the torch from safe hands, way ahead in this marathon race. The Global Fund recently noted ‘While there has been improvements in attention to key populations and vulnerable populations, policy barriers, ongoing gender disparities, entrenched social norms and inadequate attention to community systems impede progress’. #StepUpTheFight.

In a day and age where focusing on material profit seems to be the golden standard of success, at a time when dividing people in first, second and last class groups is on the rise, in an era which adores the cult to money and accepts alternative facts, it is exceptionally comforting to render tribute to an intellectual, a scientist and a humanist who has made her mission to care about others. To seek to find a cure and overcome what seemed to be a fatality. She is truly #StepUpTheFight.

There are good days when Science wins, truth prevails, courage is recognised and admiration is bestowed. Dr. Carol Jacobs, MD deserves our admiration for her courage, for her truth and for her science. It is in a way a tribute to her from both neurology and cardiology: a tribute on HIV and the brain, but also on HIV and the heart. She has indeed merited both.