The entire DNDi family is saddened by the unexpected passing of Dr Paul Farmer, founder of Partners In Health and impassioned global health advocate and leader. Rachel Cohen, Regional Executive Director, DNDi North America – who has known Dr Farmer for decades – released the following message:

‘Paul was the first doctor I knew who said unequivocally that there can be no second-class medicine for poor people. Whether in Haiti, Rwanda, Peru, Lesotho, or the US, he dared to name the underlying structural inequities and unjust systems – the root causes of racism, economic inequality, poverty – that lead to deadly disparities in access to health care and in health outcomes.

And he did this decades before most of the global health world would speak of health equity or health justice. He spoke unabashedly of power, its uneven distribution, and the consequences of its abuses. But he did it with such tremendous, almost stubborn, tenderness and compassion and love.

Our hearts ache at the news of his untimely passing and we’re sending our deepest love and solidarity to Paul’s family, our colleagues and friends at Partners in Health, and all who admired and learned from this visionary and beautiful person.‘