A Lancet editorial reflects on the legacy of Nelson Mandela, who died on December 5 at age 95. “Mandela was such an important figure in the history of the struggle, not only for justice and freedom, but also for the right to health,” the editorial writes. The Lancet quotes a speech Mandela delivered at the Rivonia Trial in April of 1964, in which he discussed the relationship between poverty and disease, and the editorial notes “Mandela’s associations with global health are broad and deep,” highlighting his AIDS work. “With characteristic insight, Mandela also saw that the impact of AIDS on Africa was simply the signal of a larger challenge: one of economic, educational, and political inequality. And he came to embody that challenge.” The editorial concludes, “It is unimaginable that any future history of the global struggle for human health and equity will not hold, in pride of place, the name, and the courage, of Nelson Mandela” (12/14).

The KFF Daily Global Health Policy Report summarized news and information on global health policy from hundreds of sources, from May 2009 through December 2020. All summaries are archived and available via search.

KFF Headquarters: 185 Berry St., Suite 2000, San Francisco, CA 94107 | Phone 650-854-9400
Washington Offices and Barbara Jordan Conference Center: 1330 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005 | Phone 202-347-5270

www.kff.org | Email Alerts: kff.org/email | facebook.com/KFF | twitter.com/kff

The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news, KFF is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California.