Keiji Fukuda Explained

Keiji Fukuda
Birth Date:1955[1]
Birth Place:Tokyo, Japan
Nationality:American
Fields:Epidemiology
Workplaces:University of Hong Kong
World Health Organization
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Education:Oberlin College (BA)
University of Vermont (MD)
University of California, Berkeley (MPH)
Spouse:Holly Fukuda[2]
Parents:David Minoru Fukuda
Michiko Fukuda[3]
Children:2[4]

[1] is a Japanese-American physician and epidemiologist, specializing in influenza epidemiology. He was an Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) from 2009 to 2016,[5] and the Director of the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) between 2017[6] and 2021.[7]

Early life and education

Fukuda was born in Tokyo, Japan,[8] to a physician family.[9] His parents were physicians; his father, David Minoru Fukuda, was an anesthesiologist and his mother, Michiko Fukuda (née Nakamura) was an obstetrician-gynecologist, although she did not practice in the United States.[3] The Fukudas immigrated from Japan to Vermont in 1955, and the senior Fukuda started practicing anesthesiology in Barre, Vermont, in 1957.[10] Fukuda's mother passed away in 1993 and his father in 2006.[3] Fukuda's older sister, Mariko, is a teacher and his younger brother, Christopher, is a urologist.[11]

At the urging of one of his high school teachers, Fukuda went to Oberlin College in 1973 for undergraduate studies, finishing in 1978.[5] [9] Initially reluctant to follow in the family footsteps and hoping to become a filmmaker, he eventually pursued medicine at the University of Vermont College of Medicine (now Robert Larner College of Medicine),[9] obtaining his MD degree in 1984.[5]

He stayed in Tamil Nadu in South India for 6 months between his second and third year at medical school, working with indigenous tribes. It confirmed his interest in international medicine. He next completed his internal medicine residency and then a chief residency at Mount Zion Hospital (now part of the UCSF Medical Center) in San Francisco.[9] Fukuda entered the University of California, Berkeley in 1988 and obtained a Master of Public Health (MPH) in epidemiology 1 year later.[5]

Career

After completing his MPH, Fukuda worked in San Francisco Bay Area in clinics that focus on leprosy and tuberculosis, and then moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he spent 2 years studying in the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).[9]

Fukuda joined the Viral Exanthems and Herpesvirus Branch at CDC after finishing the EIS program.[5] [12] Because of the idea that chronic fatigue syndrome was related to chronic infections of herpesvirus, this group was also responsible for this disease.[9] In 1994, Fukuda led a committee that revised the definition of the disease,[13] [14] which has since become the most widely used clinical and research definition of the illness.[15]

In 1996, Fukuda became the chief of the Epidemiology and Prevention Branch at the CDC Influenza Division, after the Division approached him.[9] [16] In this position, he has led investigations into outbreaks of avian flu, including the one in 1997[17] in Hong Kong and another in 2004 in Vietnam.[9] He was on the WHO expert panel investigating the 2003 SARS outbreak in China.[18] [19]

Fukuda joined the WHO in 2005 and became a scientist at the Global Influenza Program, and was promoted to coordinator in 2006 and director in 2008.[5] In March 2009, Fukuda was appointed WHO Assistant Director-General ad interim for Health Security and Environment.[20] The media referred to him as the WHO "flu chief" during the 2009 swine flu pandemic,[21] [22] when he was the face of the WHO to the media.[23] [24] [25] He admitted the communication from the WHO during the pandemic was inadequate.[26] He was also the Special Adviser on Pandemic Influenza to the Director-General throughout the pandemic, from October 2009 to August 2010.[27]

Fukuda officially became the Assistant Director-General for Health Security and Environment in 2010, until 2015 when he switched to the role of Assistant Director-General and Special Representative of the Director General for Antimicrobial Resistance.[5] [28]

In December 2016, Fukuda joined the School of Public Health at Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, as clinical professor,[5] [6] and also took up the position of School Director the next year.[6] During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was one of four government advisors[29] and often gave global and local media interviews.[4] [30] [31]

In October 2020, HKU reportedly would not renew his contract after it expired at the end of 2021,[8] [32] citing Fukuda's age has passed the university retirement age of 60.[8] However, there were news that Fukuda has passed university's academic review, but the President and Vice-chancellor Xiang Zhang vetoed the renewal, as he did not meet the requirement of "top academic achievement".[33] [34] [35] He left the government COVID-19 expert panel on December 1,[36] [37] and HKU on December 8, 2021,[4] [38] moving back to Atlanta, Georgia for retirement.[2] [39]

Personal life

Fukuda backpacked for nine months after his second year at the University of Vermont, traveling across Asia, the Middle East and Western Europe. He realized his love for traveling, and for "actually doing something", instead of simply being a tourist.[9] Fukuda was married in 1990.[3] He and his wife, Holly,[2] have 2 daughters.[4]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Reynolds . Gretchen . The Flu Hunters . February 9, 2022 . . November 7, 2004 . subscription . ... At 49, Fukuda, the top influenza epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ....
  2. Web site: Dean's Speech: State of the Faculty Address 2021 . . February 11, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220211024942/http://www.med.hku.hk/en/about-hkumed/leadership/professor-gabriel-m-leung/deans-speech/2021/state-of-the-faculty-address-2021 . February 11, 2022.
  3. Web site: Barwood . Judeen . Fukuda Family Papers . . February 11, 2022 . 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220211162543/https://vermonthistory.org/documents/findaid/FukudaFamily.pdf . February 11, 2022.
  4. News: Cheung . Elizabeth . Hong Kong's 'zero-Covid' strategy will not work in long term, city needs to switch to living with virus, says top epidemiologist . February 22, 2022 . . December 5, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220223041725/https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3158476/hong-kongs-zero-covid-strategy-will-not-work-long . February 23, 2022.
  5. Web site: Keiji Fukuda . . https://web.archive.org/web/20220209144629/https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9598-9565 . February 9, 2022 . February 9, 2022.
  6. Web site: Fukuda, Keiji . . https://web.archive.org/web/20211012154802/https://sph.hku.hk/en/Biography/Fukuda-Keiji . October 21, 2021 . October 12, 2021.
  7. News: I leave HK with pride: Keiji Fukuda . February 9, 2022 . . December 6, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220209145456/https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1623029-20211206.htm . February 9, 2022.
  8. News: Cheng . Lilian . Government Covid-19 adviser Keiji Fukuda to leave University of Hong Kong's public health school in late 2021 after contract not renewed: sources . February 6, 2022 . South China Morning Post . October 7, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220206145327/https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3104496/government-covid-19-adviser-keiji-fukuda-leave . February 6, 2022.
  9. Pasanen . Melissa . 2005 . Walking the Tightrope . Vermont Medicine . . . February 6, 2022.
  10. 2007 . In Memoriam . UVM Anesthesia News . Burlington, Vermont . Robert Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont . February 11, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220212021321/http://www.med.uvm.edu/docs/default-source/anesthesiology-documents/news-spring-2007.pdf . February 12, 2022.
  11. News: Dr. David M. Fukuda . February 11, 2022 . . August 10, 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220212021411/https://www.timesargus.com/news/dr-david-m-fukuda/article_c32594ac-8a42-5a72-873a-c96e07dfbd69.html . February 12, 2022.
  12. Web site: Keiji Fukuda . Asia Global Institute, University of Hong Kong . February 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220217145435/https://www.asiaglobaldialogue.hku.hk/speakers/fukuda.html . February 17, 2022.
  13. Fukuda . Keiji . Straus . Stephen E. . Hickie . Ian . Sharpe . Michael C. . Dobbins . James G. . Komaroff . Anthony . International Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Study Group . The Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Comprehensive Approach to Its Definition and Study . . 1994 . 121 . 12 . 953–959 . 10.7326/0003-4819-121-12-199412150-00009 . 7978722 . 510735 . February 17, 2022.
  14. News: Brody . Jane E. . Clearing Up Confusion on Fatigue Syndrome . February 17, 2022 . . December 21, 1994 . subscription.
  15. Afari . Niloofar . Buchwald . Debra . Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Review . . 160 . 2 . 221–236 . 2003 . 12562565 . 10.1176/appi.ajp.160.2.221 . 8210151 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220218071735/https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.160.2.221 . February 18, 2022.
  16. Fukuda . Keiji . Colmey . John . January 12, 1998 . "This is Serious" . . 151 . 1 . https://web.archive.org/web/20000816231404/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/1998/int/980112/asia.this_is_serious.a_l20.html . August 16, 2000.
  17. News: Richburg . Keith B. . 'Bird Flu' Origin, How It Spreads Remain Mysteries . February 18, 2022 . . December 28, 1997 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220218163425/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/birdflu/stories/origin.htm . February 18, 2022.
  18. Web site: Professor Fukuda, Keiji 福田敬二 - Biography . University of Hong Kong . February 19, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220219023307/http://hub.hku.hk/cris/rp/rp02247 . February 19, 2022.
  19. News: Lev . Michael A. . Man who blew lid off SARS kept under wraps . February 19, 2022 . . May 18, 2003 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220219035213/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2003-05-18-0305180535-story.html . February 19, 2022.
  20. Web site: Keiji Fukuda . . April 3, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090403080021/http://www.who.int/dg/adg/fukuda/en/index.html . April 3, 2009.
  21. News: Jordans . Frank . July 24, 2009 . Pandemic still in early stages: WHO flu chief . August 15, 2020 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20220219104511/https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2009/07/24/pandemic_still_in_early_stages_who_flu_chief.html . February 19, 2022.
  22. News: May 5, 2009 . Swine flu epidemic still spreading, says WHO . February 6, 2022 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20220206144501/https://www.irishexaminer.com/world/arid-30409553.html . February 6, 2022 . ... The World Health Organisation began to ship 2.4 million treatments ..., and its flu chief said the swine flu epidemic was still spreading..
  23. News: Five new UK flu cases confirmed . BBC. April 28, 2009 . April 28, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220206213045/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8021827.stm . February 6, 2022.
  24. Web site: Transcript of Virtual Press conference with Dr Keiji Fukuda, Assistant Director-General ad. Interim for Health Security and Environment World Health Organization . World Health Organization . February 19, 2022 . April 27, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220219145829/https://www.who.int/mediacentre/swineflu_presstranscript_2009_04_27.pdf . February 19, 2022.
  25. News: O'Regan . Eilish . 'No increased risk' after declaration of swine flu pandemic . February 20, 2022 . . June 12, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220221005611/https://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/health/no-increased-risk-after-declaration-of-swine-flu-pandemic-26543124.html . February 21, 2022.
  26. News: Nebehay . Stephanie . WHO admits shortcomings in handling flu pandemic . February 20, 2022 . . April 12, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220221010341/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-who-idUSTRE63B2TL20100412 . February 21, 2022.
  27. Web site: Introduction to the World Health Assembly: A Briefing for New Delegates - KEIJI FUKUDA . . February 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220222050624/https://www.graduateinstitute.ch/sites/internet/files/2019-03/UN_Foundation_event_22_May_2016_bios_of_speakers_v4_web.pdf . February 22, 2022.
  28. News: Zhao . Ruinan . Bio of Keiji Fukuda . February 21, 2022 . . March 11, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220222050712/https://www.chinadailyhk.com/epaper/pubs//chinadaily/2020/03/11/04.pdf . February 22, 2022.
  29. Web site: Expert Opinion . . February 22, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220222153942/https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/expert-opinion.html . February 22, 2022.
  30. News: Wang . Vivian . As Death Toll Mounts, Governments Point Fingers Over Coronavirus . February 22, 2022 . The New York Times . March 6, 2020 . subscription.
  31. News: Uehara . Akiko . WHO has no means to impose multilateral response to pandemics . February 22, 2022 . . May 21, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220223041835/https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/cooperative-approach-health-regulation-covid-19/46599954 . February 23, 2022.
  32. News: Lau . Joyce . Departure of COVID-19 Expert Raises Questions About Retirement Rules . February 23, 2022 . . October 23, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220223152320/https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/10/23/departure-covid-19-expert-raises-questions-about-asias-retirement-ages . February 23, 2022.
  33. News: Hui . Sophie . Disease expert's contract blow called loss for HK . February 24, 2022 . . October 8, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220225032314/https://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news/section/4/223605/Disease-expert%27s-contract-blow-called-loss-for-HK . February 25, 2022.
  34. News: 陳 . 倩婷 . 抗疫專家福田敬二不獲港大公共衞生學院續約 消息：不符頂尖要求 . February 24, 2022 . . October 7, 2020 . zh . https://web.archive.org/web/20220224145607/https://www.hk01.com/%E7%A4%BE%E6%9C%83%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E/532673/%E6%8A%97%E7%96%AB%E5%B0%88%E5%AE%B6%E7%A6%8F%E7%94%B0%E6%95%AC%E4%BA%8C%E4%B8%8D%E7%8D%B2%E6%B8%AF%E5%A4%A7%E5%85%AC%E5%85%B1%E8%A1%9E%E7%94%9F%E5%AD%B8%E9%99%A2%E7%BA%8C%E7%B4%84-%E6%B6%88%E6%81%AF-%E4%B8%8D%E7%AC%A6%E9%A0%82%E5%B0%96%E8%A6%81%E6%B1%82 . February 24, 2022.
  35. News: 抗疫專家福田敬二傳不獲續約 港大：不評論個別人事個案 . February 24, 2022 . . October 7, 2020 . zh . https://web.archive.org/web/20220225032550/https://std.stheadline.com/realtime/article/1392015/%E5%8D%B3%E6%99%82-%E6%B8%AF%E8%81%9E-%E6%8A%97%E7%96%AB%E5%B0%88%E5%AE%B6%E7%A6%8F%E7%94%B0%E6%95%AC%E4%BA%8C%E5%82%B3%E4%B8%8D%E7%8D%B2%E7%BA%8C%E7%B4%84-%E6%B8%AF%E5%A4%A7-%E4%B8%8D%E8%A9%95%E8%AB%96%E5%80%8B%E5%88%A5%E4%BA%BA%E4%BA%8B%E5%80%8B%E6%A1%88 . February 25, 2022.
  36. November 25, 2021 . CE thanks Professor Keiji Fukuda for his contributions in anti-epidemic works . . Government of Hong Kong . February 24, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220224151216/https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202111/25/P2021112500290.htm . February 24, 2022.
  37. News: 政府專家顧問福田敬二12月1日退任 年底離港大返美退休 林鄭月娥感謝其貢獻 . February 24, 2022 . . November 25, 2021 . zh . https://web.archive.org/web/20220225033030/https://news.mingpao.com/ins/%E6%B8%AF%E8%81%9E/article/20211125/s00001/1637812181317/%E6%94%BF%E5%BA%9C%E5%B0%88%E5%AE%B6%E9%A1%A7%E5%95%8F%E7%A6%8F%E7%94%B0%E6%95%AC%E4%BA%8C12%E6%9C%881%E6%97%A5%E9%80%80%E4%BB%BB-%E5%B9%B4%E5%BA%95%E9%9B%A2%E6%B8%AF%E5%A4%A7%E8%BF%94%E7%BE%8E%E9%80%80%E4%BC%91-%E6%9E%97%E9%84%AD%E6%9C%88%E5%A8%A5%E6%84%9F%E8%AC%9D%E5%85%B6%E8%B2%A2%E7%8D%BB . February 25, 2022.
  38. News: 福田敬二周三離任港大 驚訝被拒續約 . February 24, 2022 . Singtao Daily . December 6, 2021 . zh . https://web.archive.org/web/20220225033513/https://std.stheadline.com/realtime/article/1784348/%E5%8D%B3%E6%99%82-%E6%B8%AF%E8%81%9E-%E7%A6%8F%E7%94%B0%E6%95%AC%E4%BA%8C%E5%91%A8%E4%B8%89%E9%9B%A2%E4%BB%BB%E6%B8%AF%E5%A4%A7-%E9%A9%9A%E8%A8%9D%E8%A2%AB%E6%8B%92%E7%BA%8C%E7%B4%84 . February 25, 2022.
  39. News: September 29, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211229120507/https://www.thestandnews.com/society/%E6%B6%88%E6%81%AF-%E7%A6%8F%E7%94%B0%E6%95%AC%E4%BA%8C-12%E6%9C%88%E6%B8%AF%E5%A4%A7%E5%AE%8C%E7%B4%84%E5%BE%8C%E5%B0%87%E9%9B%A2%E6%B8%AF-%E8%B5%B4%E7%BE%8E%E9%80%80%E4%BC%91-%E6%9C%AC%E6%B8%AF%E5%A4%B1%E6%8A%97%E7%96%AB%E5%B0%88%E5%AE%B6%E9%A1%A7%E5%95%8F . December 29, 2021 . 消息：福田敬二 12 月港大完約後將離港 赴美退休 本港失抗疫專家顧問 . . zh.

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