Doctor who saw Covid impact on minorities honoured

Prof Kamlesh Khunti established the globally-recognised Leicester Diabetes Centre

A diabetes doctor who was among the first to identify the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on ethnic minorities has been honoured.

Professor Kamlesh Khunti, a University of Leicester scholar, has been appointed CBE for services to health in the Queen's New Year Honours.

He also established Leicester Diabetes Centre, with 170 researchers, alongside Professor Melanie Davies.

Prof Khunti said it was a "huge honour" to be recognised by Buckingham Palace.

Prof Khunti, who is also a GP, is currently ranked as number one for type 2 diabetes research on Expertscape, an index of expertise in healthcare based on scientific publications.

He also helped to improve the health of ethnic minority people by leading a body of research throughout the pandemic.

He said: "I am truly humbled and I would like to dedicate the award to my team at the Leicester Diabetes Centre, the University of Leicester, my staff at the Hockley Farm Medical Practice, and most of all to my family," he said.

'Highly deserved'

Prof Khunti began working as a GP in 1990 and recruited his first research assistant in 1998 before becoming Professor of Primary Care Diabetes and Vascular Medicine at the University of Leicester in 2007.

Prof Nishan Canagarajah, president and vice-chancellor at the university, said: "I am immensely proud of Kamlesh's achievement and it is most highly deserved.

"His dedication to improving health outcomes for some of the most hard-to-reach communities is admirable and he has worked tirelessly in his career to achieve so much."

Prof Azhar Farooqi, Leicester City Clinical Commissioning Group chairman, said: "This is extremely well deserved for Kamlesh's outstanding contributions to medical research, in particular in the fight against the Covid pandemic and in highlighting the importance of reducing health inequalities."