William Foege

William Foege, a public health physician instrumental in smallpox eradication, shares captivating stories from the global campaign. He reveals how the 'ring-fence' vaccination strategy, initially inspired by firefighters, became crucial in Nigeria and beyond. Fascinating anecdotes include negotiating with smugglers in India to facilitate vaccinations. Foege emphasizes that while technology played a role, it was the extraordinary human cooperation and resilience that truly triumphed, culminating in the joyous WHO declaration of smallpox's eradication in 1980.