Renowned public health researcher David Sanders died on Friday after a heart attack at the age of 74, according to the People’s Health Movement. Sanders was the founding director of the School of Public Health at University of Western Cape in Cape Town, South Africa.

Sanders was a founding member of People’s Health Movement in 2000, and was its co-chairperson. He had over 30 years of experience in health policy and programme development in Zimbabwe and South Africa. His areas of expertise included primary health care, child health and nutrition, and health human resources.

“David has been a stalwart of the struggle for health and social justice for all here in South Africa and globally, making personal sacrifices throughout his life to do what he believes in,” Public Health Movement said on Twitter.

A specialist paediatrician with postgraduate qualifications in public health, Sanders came to India often and influenced the public health movement in the country significantly.

He was on the Steering Committee of the United Nations Standing Committee on Nutrition from 2002 to 2006 and a member of the Knowledge Network of the World Health Organization Commission on Social Determinants of Health.

Now, follow and debate the day’s most significant stories on Scroll Exchange.