Who is Shahid Jameel; concerns raised as virologist steps down from govt's COVID panel

As India grapples with the rising COVID cases in the country, it is imperative for the core team to stand together and fight this virus with all might. But internal instability sends out a wrong message, especially when it's within the central administration. In a surprising move, the top-level reshuffle at the centre's Covid genome surveillance project has baffled many.

Shahid Jameel, who is the Chief Advisor of the scientific advisory group of the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), has quit his post without giving any reasons. The forum was set up by the union government in December last year in wake of the pandemic outbreak for laboratory and epidemiological surveillance of circulating strains of COVID-19 in India.

Who is Shahid Jameel?

Shahid Jameel is a top virologist and academic. The renowned virologist is the director of Trivedi School of Biosciences, where his work centres on synthetic biology, infectious diseases and chronic diseases. Jameel has spent over two decades in research of human viruses at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology.

Jameel's research on hepatitis E virus and HIV is profound. He is an elected fellow at all three major Indian science academies, including National Academy of Sciences, India, Indian Academy of Sciences and Indian National Science Academy. For his contributions, he was also awarded with one of the highest Indian science awards, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology in 2000.

Why did he quit India's COVID panel?

Jameel did not give the reason why he quit INSACOG and denied response when approached by various media outlets. But the timing of Jameel's resignation has given rise to speculations that he did not approve the government's methods of handling the pandemic.

In fact, he criticised the Indian government for not including data in its decision-making. In an article he wrote in the New York Times four days ago, he wrote: "All of these measures have wide support among my fellow scientists in India. But they are facing stubborn resistance to evidence-based policymaking. On April 30, over 800 Indian scientists appealed to the prime minister, demanding access to the data that could help them further study, predict and curb this virus. Decision-making based on data is yet another casualty, as the pandemic in India has spun out of control. The human cost we are enduring will leave a permanent scar."