Doctor Lair Guerra de Macedo Rodrigues passed away on Wednesday (March 13, 2024) at the age of 81. The biologist was the first coordinator of the National STD/AIDS Program of the Ministry of Health in 1986. Because of her work, she was nominated by the General Assembly of the Brazilian Society of Tropical Medicine for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.

Lair Guerra has been admitted to the Santa Luzia Hospital in Brasilia since January. She was admitted to hospital after being diagnosed with pneumonia, but did not survive.

She was born in Coremata, 775 kilometers from Teresina (PI), and led campaigns to educate the Brazilian population about HIV. It also trained AIDS specialists, monitored blood banks, and clarified public policies.

In a note, Ministry of Health She expressed regret over the death of Lair Guerra, saying she was responsible for it “Make the Brazilian program [de combate à Aids] “a role model to the world”.

Here is the full statement:

“The Ministry of Health deeply regrets the death of Dr. Lair Guerra de Macedo Rodriguez, 81, which occurred on Wednesday (March 13). Lair is the sister of Brazilian doctor Carlisle Guerra de Macedo, who headed the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) from 1983. To 1995.

“Ler Guerra was a pioneer in building public policies in Brazil to combat AIDS, having been appointed to coordinate the country's program to combat the disease in the 1980s.

“Under coordination with Guerra, national campaigns appeared on radio, television and print media to educate the population and train professionals in the fight against sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS. Her work in biomedicine led to her being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for making the Brazilian program an example to the world.

Born in Piaui, the biomedical doctor taught microbiology at the Federal University of Piaui (UFPI). She was also a professor at the University of Brasilia (UnB). She completed her graduate studies at the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, USA.

“Pasta's sympathies go out to the friends and family of Lair Guerra.”