Edgar Cabral

Brazilian public health pioneer who eradicated tropical diseases

Edgar Cabral (1918-1971) was a Brazilian physician whose work eliminated yellow fever and yaws from large parts of South America. Trained at Rio de Janeiro's medical school, he joined the Pan American Health Organization in 1945. His most notable achievement was developing the Mass Vaccination Strategy that eradicated yellow fever in Brazil by 1952 through door-to-door campaigns reaching 40 million people.

In 1958 he pioneered the Direct Observation Therapy for yaws, a disfiguring tropical disease. His community health worker model trained local volunteers to administer treatments, curing over 500,000 cases in 3 years. His 1965 book Conquering Tropical Diseases became a global reference in epidemiology.

Cabral's innovations reduced child mortality rates in Amazon regions by 60%. His work inspired the WHO's Smallpox Eradication Program. The Edgar Cabral Award is now given annually for public health achievements in tropical regions. His legacy lives on in Brazil's Family Health Program, which employs his community-based approach.