Physician and activist Dr Paul Farmer died 21 February 2022 at the age of 62. We remember his legacy today.
Dr. Paul Farmer–a physician, medical anthropologist, co-founder of Partners in Health, advocate for social justice, mentor to many, father to three–died unexpectedly at the age of 62 while visiting a hospital he helped to found in Rwanda. His death is a profound loss for the global health community. In 2016 I wrote about how reading Infections and Inequalities shaped my own thinking about the relationship between personal and social responsibility. I thought about his work often in the past three years as we have navigated conversations about the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 to communities of color, the importance of good data in public health, and conversations about global equity and vaccination programs.
Many around the world grieve the loss of this advocate for social justice and human rights. May we find comfort in sharing the lessons he taught us. May he rest in God’s eternal peace.
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To learn more about the late Dr Farmer, consider reading this article from the National Catholic Reporter, listen to this podcast from America’s Jesuitical from June 2021 or read this article from Rev. John Dear, a friend of Dr Farmer in America.
Emily Reimer-Barry is an Associate Professor of Christian Ethics at the University of San Diego. Her first book, Catholic Theology of Marriage in the Era of HIV and AIDS: Marriage for Life was published by Lexington Books in 2015. Recent articles have appeared in Theological Studies and Proceedings of the Catholic Theological Society of America. Dr. Reimer-Barry teaches undergraduate courses in Catholic theology, Christian sexual ethics, and ethical responses to HIV/AIDS. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (B.A. 2000), Weston Jesuit School of Theology (M.T.S., 2002), and Loyola University Chicago (Ph.D., 2008).
With thanks to Catholic Moral Theology and Emily Reimer-Barry, where this article originally appeared.
