If Dr Carlo Urbani were alive today, he would have travelled the world using his motorcycle. He was an adventurer – if not, what would one call a man who preferred a 100 km two-wheeler drive to attend an office retreat, when he could have just comfortably sat in a bus? He looked so cool riding his motorcycle; he could even give Clint Eastwood a run for his money.
If Dr Urbani were alive today, he could have opened a gallery to showcase the photographs he had taken throughout his well-travelled life. He loved capturing moments and appreciating the beauty in nature. As Vincent Van Gogh put it, “If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” And only those who find beauty everywhere, like Dr Urbani, have the genuine heart to serve.
If Dr Urbani were alive today, he would have enjoyed spending much time with his lovely wife and going on vacations with the whole family. He would have seen how his three children had grown up to become beautiful human beings like him. He was an affectionate husband and a hands-on dad.
If Dr Urbani were alive today, he would have kept coming back to Viet Nam, if not choosing to permanently live in the country. Viet Nam was a home to him and his family. In fact, his youngest child had early education in Vietnamese and thus, spoke in Vietnamese more often than in their native language. If he were still alive, he would have been delighted to see his children continuing their connection to and love for this country and its people.
If Dr Urbani were alive today, he would have continued to be a mentor, brother, friend and even a father to his colleagues. He was a “big brother” and not a boss to his subordinates. He was very light to work with. He was a great and inspiring friend who would go out of his way to help people.
If Dr Urbani were alive today, he would have been 62. He would have returned to his home country, Italy, and lived a quiet life post-retirement. But this quiet life would not be for long. Because for sure, if Dr Urbani were alive today, he would have preferred to spend his retirement going to the world’s poorest communities to continue improving people’s health and saving lives.
Dr Urbani’s dedication and passion for public health work were hands-down exceptional. This was why his selfless act during the height of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak – the first pandemic of the 21st century – did not come as a surprise for his colleagues in the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative Office in Viet Nam. Only a few among those fortunate enough to have worked with this hero are still with WHO, yet the “Dr Carlo Urbani” spirit lingers in the office, and in fact remains very strong.
They still vividly remember that fateful day – when the office received a call from Hanoi French Hospital requesting support in examining a patient suspected to be infected with avian influenza. The administrative support staff member who picked up the call at the time did not know who to pass the call to. She eventually asked Dr Urbani, then public health specialist for the Organization, who instantly said, “Of course, it’s me.”
And the rest was history that would significantly change the way countries were to deal with infectious diseases, especially those with pandemic potential.
Although gone to soon, Dr Carlo Urbani lived a full life. If he were alive today, he would have been an epitome of living by WHO’s mission – promoting health, keeping the world safe, and serving the vulnerable.
Author’s note
Dr Carlo Urbani, an expert in communicable diseases, was based in WHO Viet Nam in Hanoi during the SARS outbreak. He was the first WHO officer to identify SARS as a new and lethal disease, and because of his early detection, global surveillance was heightened, and many new cases immediately identified and isolated.
Read more
WHO remembers Dr Carlo Urbani as a hero who fought SARS: https://www.who.int/neglected_diseases/news/Fifteen_years_after_the_passing_Dr_Carlo_Urbani/en/
Carlo Urbani: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(03)13107-8/fulltext
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS): https://www.who.int/csr/sars/en/