Known for his fight against malaria, Colombian Dr. Jaime Ayalde recounts his experiences entering the world of medicine when “no one knew anything about public health” and his experience in rural Colombia where he worked for the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO).

He also speaks about his participation in international meetings where the controversial use of the insecticide DDT to control malaria was debated. He also speaks of his experience as PAHO representative in Suriname, which he considers to be “a social and anthropological laboratory because of its diversity” and where he was appointed national director of the Malaria Program. After leaving PAHO, Ayalde was advisor in Pakistan, India, Ecuador, and El Salvador, among other countries.