Scotch College

Rob Moodie wins Perelberg

The 1998 Perelberg Award has been made to Dr Rob Moodie ('70). It is made annually for 'Exemplary Scotch Spirit' and is alternately granted one year to a current student, or to one who left the previous year, and the next year to an Old Scotch Collegian.

The Perelberg Trophy is permanently displayed in the school library, and the winner each year receives a splendid silver replica.

Rob Moodie arrived at Scotch in 1966 after winning a Council Scholarship and left as a member of the Class of 1970. He completed his medical degree in 1976 and specialised initially in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. In 1984 he went to France and earned a Diploma of Tropical Medicine and Health at the Pierre and Marie Curie University, Paris. Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of Physicians, Public Health Faculty followed, then, in 1991, a Masters of Public Health in International Health was gained from Harvard University.

Dr Rob Moodie with his wife Anne, daughter Penny and son Nick

Dr Moodie's career demonstrates a total commitment to the health and wellbeing of his fellow man - especially those in less fortunate circumstances. He has been Medical Officer for the Save the Children Fund in Eastern Sudan, 1979-80.

In 1985 he led a large multi-national medical relief team responsible for over 40,000 Tigrean refugees on the Sudan-Ethiopian border.

His concern for the welfare of indigenous Australians was apparent in 1982-84, then 1985-88, when as Senior Medical Officer of the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress in Alice Springs, he was responsible for development of primary health care programmes and for a number of specific health projects, including AIDS awareness and education.

His contribution to the world-wide fight against the AIDS epidemic has seen him working for the Save the Children Fund; the World Health Organisation, developing strategies for a Global programme on AIDS prevention and control; work in Iraq, Uganda, Senegal, Congo, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Laos - for World Vision, India, Vietnam.

Dr Moodie has led an international team developing HIV/AIDS prevention and care in China, and as Director of Country Support responsible for the setting up of a Joint United Nations programme on AIDS, based in Geneva.

In 1995 he helped found the Australian Branch of Medicins Sans Frontieres. He has also concentrated his attention on health needs in Victoria, as Executive Officer of Victorian AIDS Advisory Committee, as developer and writer of the Infectious Diseases Control Strategy, and leading the development of the International Health Programme of the Macfarlane Burnet Centre for Medical Research in Melbourne.

Dr Moodie is currently Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation - a creative model of health promotion that has been much admired and adopted across Australia and internationally.

Dr Rob Moodie is indeed a worthy winner of the 1998 Perelberg Award.