ASTMH mourns the loss of Bill Foege, MD, MPH, a leader in the eradication of smallpox, a former CDC Director, co-founder of The Task Force for Global Health, and much more. He passed away January 24, at the age of 89.
As an epidemiologist in the campaign to eradicate smallpox in the 1970s, Dr. Foege developed the "ring vaccination" approach that led to the campaign’s success. A global public leader for decades, he has served as Director of CDC, Executive Director of The Carter Center, founder of the Task Force for Child Survival and Development, and Senior Medical Advisor for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
In 2021, Dr. Foege conducted a "fireside chat" with ASTMH President Julie Jacobon, MD, DTM&H, FASTMH.
Their conversation is available here.
Dr. Foege also was co-founder of
The Task Force for Global Health. The following is a tribute to Dr. Foege, used with permission from The Task force for Global Health:
Dr. Foege is justly regarded around the world as a singular public health hero, whose achievements are monumental. He is best known for orchestrating the successful global effort that eradicated smallpox, which saved and improved the lives of millions of people. But his achievements as a public health leader, teacher and mentor go far beyond smallpox, influencing the work and touching the lives of public health professionals across the globe. Our world is better because of him, in so many ways. We at The Task Force are honored to carry on the work he started and extend our deepest condolences to his wife Paula, his children, grandchildren and all who loved him.
“All of us who had the privilege of working with and learning from Bill Foege will be forever grateful,” said Task Force for Global Health CEO Dr. Patrick O’Carroll. “He was equally inspirational to people just starting out in their public health careers and to people who’d worked in this field for decades. Whenever he spoke, his vision and compassion would reawaken the optimism that prompted us to choose this field, and re-energize our efforts to make this world a better place. Bill Foege had an unflagging commitment to improving the health of people across the world, through powerful, purpose-driven coalitions applying the best science available. We try to honor that commitment in every one of our programs, every day.”
Even before he co-founded The Task Force in 1984, Dr. Foege had accomplished more than most people do in a lifetime. While working as an epidemiologist in Nigeria, he devised a successful strategy to stop the spread of smallpox and later, as head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Smallpox Eradication Program, he led the global effort that successfully eradicated smallpox by 1980. He served as CDC Director from 1977-1983.
► Click here to read the full tribute and see more photos of Dr. Foege