Dr Amit Sengupta, a treatment activist who dedicated his life to universal access, dies age 60

We are deeply saddened by the loss of Dr Amit Sengupta, our friend, colleague, and an inspiring treatment activist who leaves behind an impact on the world. He died in an accident on 28 November 2018. We express our condolences to his wife, son and family.

Amit was a founding member of the People’s Health Movement (PHM). © PHM

Amit leaves behind an impressive legacy. Off the back of his work many more people received essential treatment and will continue to do so due to the path he laid. Amit not just contributed to, but shaped the agenda on treatment and universal access, driven by a belief that health is a human right. After graduating as a doctor he set up a clinic in Delhi, India. A childhood friend described him as always “very socially conscious” and recalls how Amit refused to charge poor people for treatment and stamped out the practice.

From then, he continued to work on access for everyone for over 30 years. Amit was a founding member of the People’s Health Movement (PHM). He worked on challenging intellectual property barriers to access to medicines and played a significant role in increasing affordable generic treatments in India, so more people could access life-saving medicines.

Tributes are pouring in to the People’s Health Movement, where you can add your own.