Allan Rosenfield
Encyclopedia
Allan Rosenfield was an advocate for women's health
during the worldwide AIDS pandemic
as dean of the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
.
Rosenfield was born in Brookline, Massachusetts
on April 28, 1933. He received a B.A.
in biochemistry from Harvard College
in 1955. In 1959, he graduated from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
with his M.D.
degree.
After receiving his medical degree, he worked in Thailand
with the Population Council
in the 1960s, in a country with a severe lack of physicians and a 3.3% annual population growth
rate, providing advise to the ministry of public health on reproductive, maternal and child health issues. The national family planning program Rosenfield helped develop trained auxiliary midwives to prescribe birth control. Thailand's annual population growth rate dropped to 0.8% by the year 2000. His work with the Population Council also took him to other countries in Asia and Africa, where he first realized the difficulties of lowering birthrates in poor countries. He was a leader in promoting the view that necessary steps for controlling population growth and achieving economic development were the provision of reproductive health programs and the raising of the status of women.
Columbia University
hired him in 1975 as a professor of public health
and obstetrics and gynecology, and as director of the university's new Center for Population and Family Health. In this role, he focused the Center both on efforts in establishing community-based programs in the Upper Manhattan
surrounding the school and in programs with a global reach. Until he was appointed dean of the Mailman School of Public Health in 1986, Rosenfield worked on a hands-on basis on the programs he had initiated, including the clinics for adolescent men and women, and clinics in local intermediate and high schools.
In 1985, Rosenfield and Deborah Maine had the article Maternal Mortality — A Neglected Tragedy: Where is the M in MCH? published in The Lancet
, drawing attention to deaths of women in the third-world in pregnancy and childbirth. Efforts were made to improve access to health care for pregnant women in response to the article by international health groups. Rosenfield worked with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
to create more than 85 "safe motherhood" programs worldwide.
In 2000, at the International AIDS Conference
in Durban
, South Africa
, Rosenfield followed up on his calls for improved access to maternal care, leading to the creation of the MTCT-Plus Initiative to help prevent mother-to-child transmission of AIDS
. By the time of his death, the initiative had brought comprehensive health care to hundreds of thousands of women and infants throughout the world.
Dr. Rosenfield was national chairman of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America in 1985 and 1986. He also served as chairman of the Program Board of the American Foundation for AIDS Research
.
Dr. Rosenfield is an honorary member of the National Board of Public Health Examinershttp://www.publichealthexam.org, an entity that provides the first and only core certification for public health professionals and graduates of CEPH-accredited http://www.ceph.org institutions.
The main building of the Mailman School of Public Health on West 168th Street was named for Rosenfield in 2006, with Columbia's president, Lee C. Bollinger, noting that "over the last three decades at Columbia, Allan has not only inspired and trained generations of public health leaders, he has helped define what a school of public health should be."
Rosenfield had been diagnosed with both amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(ALS) and myasthenia gravis
in 2005, two separate diseases that affect motor nerve functions. After receiving his diagnosis, tributes came from around the world, including a song dedication by Bono
at a U2
concert.
Rosenfield died at age 75 on October 12, 2008 in his home in Hartsdale, New York
of ALS, and was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.
Women's health
Women's health refers to health issues specific to human female anatomy. These often relate to structures such as female genitalia and breasts or to conditions caused by hormones specific to, or most notable in, females. Women's health issues include menstruation, contraception, maternal health,...
during the worldwide AIDS pandemic
AIDS pandemic
The acquired immune deficiency syndrome pandemic is a widespread disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus .Since AIDS was first recognized in 1981, it has led to the deaths of more than 25 million people, making it one of the most destructive diseases in recorded history.Despite recent...
as dean of the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
The Columbia Mailman School of Public Health is one of the schools of Columbia University in New York City. It is one of the first schools of public health recognized by the Council on Education for Public Health and remains a leading academic and research institution. The beginnings of the school...
.
Rosenfield was born in Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
on April 28, 1933. He received a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in biochemistry from Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
in 1955. In 1959, he graduated from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, often known as P&S, is a graduate school of Columbia University that is located on the health sciences campus in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan...
with his M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
degree.
After receiving his medical degree, he worked in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
with the Population Council
Population Council
The Population Council is an international, nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The Council conducts biomedical, social science, and public health research and helps build research capacities in developing countries. One-third of its research relates to HIV and AIDS; its other major program...
in the 1960s, in a country with a severe lack of physicians and a 3.3% annual population growth
Population growth
Population growth is the change in a population over time, and can be quantified as the change in the number of individuals of any species in a population using "per unit time" for measurement....
rate, providing advise to the ministry of public health on reproductive, maternal and child health issues. The national family planning program Rosenfield helped develop trained auxiliary midwives to prescribe birth control. Thailand's annual population growth rate dropped to 0.8% by the year 2000. His work with the Population Council also took him to other countries in Asia and Africa, where he first realized the difficulties of lowering birthrates in poor countries. He was a leader in promoting the view that necessary steps for controlling population growth and achieving economic development were the provision of reproductive health programs and the raising of the status of women.
Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
hired him in 1975 as a professor of public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
and obstetrics and gynecology, and as director of the university's new Center for Population and Family Health. In this role, he focused the Center both on efforts in establishing community-based programs in the Upper Manhattan
Upper Manhattan
Upper Manhattan denotes the more northerly region of the New York City Borough of Manhattan. Its southern boundary may be defined anywhere between 59th Street and 155th Street. Between these two extremes lies the most common definitions of Upper Manhattan as Manhattan above 96th Street...
surrounding the school and in programs with a global reach. Until he was appointed dean of the Mailman School of Public Health in 1986, Rosenfield worked on a hands-on basis on the programs he had initiated, including the clinics for adolescent men and women, and clinics in local intermediate and high schools.
In 1985, Rosenfield and Deborah Maine had the article Maternal Mortality — A Neglected Tragedy: Where is the M in MCH? published in The Lancet
The Lancet
The Lancet is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal. It is one of the world's best known, oldest, and most respected general medical journals...
, drawing attention to deaths of women in the third-world in pregnancy and childbirth. Efforts were made to improve access to health care for pregnant women in response to the article by international health groups. Rosenfield worked with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the largest transparently operated private foundation in the world, founded by Bill and Melinda Gates. It is "driven by the interests and passions of the Gates family"...
to create more than 85 "safe motherhood" programs worldwide.
In 2000, at the International AIDS Conference
International AIDS Conference
The International AIDS Society is the custodian of the International AIDS Conference, the largest regular conference on any health or development issue. These conferences provide a forum for the interaction of science, community and leadership, and are claimed to strengthen an evidence-based...
in Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Rosenfield followed up on his calls for improved access to maternal care, leading to the creation of the MTCT-Plus Initiative to help prevent mother-to-child transmission of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. By the time of his death, the initiative had brought comprehensive health care to hundreds of thousands of women and infants throughout the world.
Dr. Rosenfield was national chairman of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America in 1985 and 1986. He also served as chairman of the Program Board of the American Foundation for AIDS Research
AmfAR
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy.-History:...
.
Dr. Rosenfield is an honorary member of the National Board of Public Health Examinershttp://www.publichealthexam.org, an entity that provides the first and only core certification for public health professionals and graduates of CEPH-accredited http://www.ceph.org institutions.
The main building of the Mailman School of Public Health on West 168th Street was named for Rosenfield in 2006, with Columbia's president, Lee C. Bollinger, noting that "over the last three decades at Columbia, Allan has not only inspired and trained generations of public health leaders, he has helped define what a school of public health should be."
Rosenfield had been diagnosed with both amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a form of motor neuron disease caused by the degeneration of upper and lower neurons, located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord and the cortical neurons that provide their efferent input...
(ALS) and myasthenia gravis
Myasthenia gravis
Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune neuromuscular disease leading to fluctuating muscle weakness and fatiguability...
in 2005, two separate diseases that affect motor nerve functions. After receiving his diagnosis, tributes came from around the world, including a song dedication by Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
at a U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
concert.
Rosenfield died at age 75 on October 12, 2008 in his home in Hartsdale, New York
Hartsdale, New York
Hartsdale is a hamlet and a census-designated place located in the town of Greenburgh, Westchester County, New York. The population was 5,293 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hartsdale is located at ....
of ALS, and was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.