30 Facts About James Orbinski

James Jude Orbinski is a Canadian physician, humanitarian activist, author, and scholar in global health.

Previously a professor in the Faculty of Health Science at York University, Dr James Orbinski founded the Dahdaleh Institute of Global Health Research.

James Orbinski's research focuses on medical humanitarianism, intervention strategies around emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, global health governance, and more recently, the health impacts of climate change.

James Orbinski was MSF International Council president at the time the organization received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.

James Orbinski is a strong advocate for increasing access to essential medicines for neglected diseases, particularly across vulnerable populations.

In 1998, James Orbinski received the Governor General's Meritorious Service Cross for his work as the MSF Head of Mission during the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

In 2009, James Orbinski became an Officer of the Order of Canada and in the citation was recognized by the Governor General of Canada as a humanitarian practitioner and advocate for those who have been silenced by war, genocide and mass starvation.

James Orbinski attended Dawson CEGEP in Montreal, received a bachelor's degree in psychology from Trent University, a medical degree from McMaster University Medical School, and a master's degree in international relations from the University of Toronto's Munk Centre for International Studies.

James Orbinski was elected President of the International Council of MSF from 1998 to 2001.

James Orbinski represented MSF at the UN Security Council, in many national parliaments, to the World Health Organization, as well as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

James Orbinski accepted the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to MSF for its pioneering approach to medical humanitarianism, and most especially for its approach to bearing witness.

On September 11,2001, James Orbinski was in Lower Manhattan to present at a UN meeting on Neglected Tropical Diseases.

James Orbinski witnessed the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and participated in relief efforts for injured people ferried across the Hudson River.

From 2001 to 2004, James Orbinski co-chaired MSF's Neglected Diseases Working Group, which created and launched the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative.

In 2004, James Orbinski became a research scientist at St Michael's Hospital and professor of both medicine and political science at the University of Toronto.

James Orbinski was promoted to full Professor of Medicine in 2010 at the University of Toronto.

James Orbinski was reinstated as full Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, and is cross-appointed to the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, as well as the Dalla Lana School of Public Health,.

James Orbinski was the subject of the award-winning and internationally acclaimed documentary film on medial humanitarianism, Triage: Dr James Orbinski's Humanitarian Dilemma, which follows Orbinski's return to Somalia, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

James Orbinski was a co-founder of McMaster University's Health Reach Program which investigates and promotes the health of children in war zones, and he was a founding member of MSF Canada in 1990.

James Orbinski is a founding board member of the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development, the Stephen Lewis Foundation and Canadian Doctors for Medicare.

James Orbinski additionally serves on the advisory boards of Global Policy, Engineers Without Borders, The Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Incentives for Global Health, the NGO formed to develop the Health Impact Fund proposal.

James Orbinski is a member of the Climate Change and Health Council and the Davos World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Health Care Systems and Cooperation.

James Orbinski was an invited member of the UNEP Scientific Steering Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Early Warning for Extreme Weather and in 2011 the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences Expert Panel on Canada's Strategic Role in Global Health.

Unwavering in his efforts, Dr James Orbinski opened the Agha Khan Hospital in Kigali, in the middle of a contested area that often became the target of mortar and machine gun fire.

In 2011, Orbinski was the recipient of the Walter S Tarnopolsky Human Rights Award, recognizing his contributions to domestic and international human rights.

James Orbinski was the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012, the University of California Human Security Award in 2015, and the Teasdale Corti Award in 2016, given by Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, recognizing his contributions to medicine and humanitarianism.

In 2001, James Orbinski was awarded the honorary degree, Doctor of Laws, from Trent University.

James Orbinski was awarded a second honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Windsor in 2006.

James Orbinski received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from St Francis Xavier University in 2014, and the Loyola Medal from Concordia University in 2017.

In 2017, James Orbinski was one of the recipients of the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards presented by Canadian Immigrant Magazine.