Mountains beyond mountains - part 2

Let me begin by saying, Paul Farmer is genius and one of the most hardworking and selfless men out there. My frustrations with the book do not stem from Farmer but from the writing (I feel I don't know the real Farmer at all and the whole beatification of Farmer is distracting) and the model of public health it that seems to encourage.

To balance my previous post, here are the revolutionary things Farmer has done:

- Pushing the boundaries of what is economically feasible in a development context - Farmer refused to accept that treatment of MDR TB was impractical and pushed to find ways and means of making it practical. With the cost of second line TB drugs reducing, treatment of MDR TB is now a reality. 

- The bleeding heart - Unfortunately, individual contributions for projects are not driven by impassive cost benefit analysis but rather on personal stories of salvation in the face of insuperable odds. Save the Children, had program booklets printed which contained more stories of individual beneficiaries than value analysis of their projects. Farmer's focus on the individual, his personal relationships with his patients and his tireless dedication are more instrumental in driving support for his cause - and for public health in general - than any impersonal public health report. PIH is successful because of the man and not because of his model.

- Medical breakthrough - Farmer understood DOTS, it's limitations and implications in the context of MDR TB. His contributions to the treatment of TB in the developing world are invaluable.

I have to agree with general consensus. This book is a must read for anyone in Public Health.