Dr. Jeremy Farrar has been dedicated to understanding and preventing infectious diseases for more than 30 years. His work in this field began long before the COVID-19 pandemic, as he led the global health charity Wellcome Trust for a decade. Now, as the chief scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), Farrar is using his expertise to protect the world from emerging pathogens and other global health threats.
As he stepped into his role at the WHO last year, Farrar faced a daunting task – to deal with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic while preparing for future threats. Despite some countries returning to normal and scaling back pandemic-related programs, the virus continues to spread and claim lives around the world. Farrar and his team are working tirelessly to translate scientific research into policies that will help contain the current threat and prepare for those on the horizon.
In addition to his work on COVID-19, Farrar is also focusing on addressing longstanding issues in global health such as climate change and global mental health epidemic. By balancing immediate needs of the current pandemic with efforts to build a stronger resilient global health system, he is playing an important role in shaping future public health.