Saddened by Passing of David Nabarro, Secretary-General Hails Former World Health Organization Special Envoy’s Tireless Advocacy to Create Healthier World

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General is saddened by the passing of Dr. David Nabarro, who had been the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Special Envoy dealing with the COVID-19 crisis.

Dr. Nabarro was a tireless advocate for global health — a leader who brought clarity, compassion and conviction to some of the world’s most complex health emergencies, from AIDS and malaria to avian influenza and the COVID-19 pandemic.

He dedicated his life to the conviction that health is a human right — and worked to help make that right a reality for all people, everywhere.  For Dr. Nabarro, a healthier world meant equitable access to vaccines, nutrition and essential care — especially for the most vulnerable.

The Secretary-General pays tribute to Dr. Nabarro’s extraordinary legacy of service and reaffirms his commitment to advancing the principles he championed:  solidarity, science and health for all.