Halfdan Mahler 21 April 1923-14 December 2016 (Letter)

Abstract

Halfdan Mahler, the father of the primary health care movement, died aged 93 in Geneva on December 14th 2016. A Danish physician, he was the third director general of the World Health Organization from 1973 to 1988. Dr Mahler oversaw the historic meeting in Almaty, Kazakhstan (then Alma Ata in the Soviet Union) in 1978, which culminated in the Alma Ata Declaration on Primary Health Care. This declaration was strongly supported by countries, support that is still influencing the shape of health systems 40 years later, and is reflected in the current New Zealand Primary Health Care Strategy.