Paul Edward Farmer was an esteemed American medical anthropologist and physician. He earned his MD and PhD from Harvard University, where he later served as a University Professor and the chair of the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Farmer was a visionary co-founder and chief strategist of Partners In Health (PIH), an international non-profit organization dedicated to providing direct health care services since 1987, conducting research, and advocating for the impoverished and sick.

Farmer, alongside his colleagues both in the United States and internationally, developed innovative community-based treatment strategies, proving that high-quality health care could be delivered in resource-limited settings. Their impactful work has been featured in prominent publications including The Lancet, The New England Journal of Medicine, and the British Medical Journal.

As an author, Farmer discussed Health and Human Rights, the impact of social inequalities on infectious diseases, and challenges within global health. His efforts earned him recognition as "the man who would cure the world", a narrative beautifully captured in Tracy Kidder's book Mountains Beyond Mountains. In 2007, the Peace Abbey Foundation honored Farmer and PIH with the Courage of Conscience Award for their life-saving free health care services to some of the world's most impoverished communities and their contributions to the improvement of global health care systems.

A strong advocate for liberation theology, Farmer's commitment to social justice and health equity was acknowledged when he was named an Aurora Humanitarian in 2021. His personal life included his marriage to Didi Bertrand Farmer in 1996, with whom he had three children. Farmer's legacy continues to inspire many as he passed away in Rwanda at the age of 62.