Georgians mourn ‘public health hero’ Dr. William Foege, who led global smallpox eradication

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January 26th, 2026

President Barack Obama stands behind William Foege while putting the Presidential Medal of Freedom on him
FILE - President Barack Obama awards the Medal of Freedom to Dr. William Foege, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who helped lead the effort to eradicate smallpox, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, May 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

This article was updated on Jan. 29, 2026, at 12:58 p.m.

Friends and family are mourning the loss of a giant in the field of public health. Dr. William Foege, co-founder of the Atlanta-based Task Force for Global Health is credited with spearheading the successful global eradication of smallpox — the first global eradication of an infectious disease.

Foege died over the weekend in Atlanta at the age of 89 of congestive heart failure. 

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