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We are saddened to share that Dr. David Nabarro, a stalwart champion for public health, died at home on Friday. He was 75.
Dr. Nabarro leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of service that has enriched communities across the world. He devoted his life to the promotion of community-based urban health, including combating pandemic influenza, cholera, and Ebola; catalyzing change in global food security and nutrition; and promoting sustainable development. He had an eminent career, working as a medical doctor, educator, international public servant, and diplomat.
Trained as a physician, Dr. Nabarro’s life’s work was guided by his unwavering dedication to the most vulnerable. Whether as the inaugural Coordinator of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, the United Nations Special Envoy on Ebola, leading the UN’s response to cholera in Haiti, or tirelessly advocating for food security and pandemic preparedness, he faced the world’s most pressing challenges with courage, clarity, and compassion.
His early work took him to Iraq, Nepal, and Kenya, followed by influential academic roles at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the University of Liverpool Medical School. Throughout his career—including positions at the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the World Health Organization, and numerous other organizations—Dr. Nabarro championed evidence-based policy, empowered communities, and pushed institutions to aspire higher.
In 2019, he delivered the keynote speech at CUNY SPH’s third commencement, and was presented with an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the school.
“David was a mentor, a friend, and a transformative force for good,” says CUNY SPH Dean Ayman El-Mohandes. “His legacy endures in the millions of lives he touched and in the global movements for equity, health, and sustainability that he inspired and shaped.”
