Rate My Professor David Durrheim

David Durrheim is Conjoint Professor of Public Health Medicine in the School of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Newcastle, Australia, and Director of Health Protection for Hunter New England Local Health District since 2004. He earned his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine (MPH&TM) and Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) from James Cook University, Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTM&H) from the University of the Witwatersrand, and Diploma in Community Child Health (DCH) from the University of Pretoria. A Fellow of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine (FAFPHM) and Australasian College of Tropical Medicine (FACTM), his career includes prior roles as Director of Communicable Disease Control in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa (1994-2002), Head and Director of the Anton Breinl Centre for Public Health and Tropical Medicine at James Cook University (2002-2004), and various medical positions in South Africa and Namibia starting from his internship in 1987.

Durrheim's research focuses on novel infectious disease surveillance methods, control of zoonotic diseases, immunization strategies, measles and rubella elimination, outbreak investigation, and public health responses to epidemics, including COVID-19 and influenza via systems like Flutracking. Key publications include 'Broad benefits of the COVID-19 pandemic response' (Science, 2021), 'Measles and rubella eradication: commitment to a global target is now a matter of urgency' (The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2025), 'Global Measles Eradication Goal is Urgently Needed' (Nature, 2025), 'Insights from Flutracking: thirteen tips to growing a web-based participatory surveillance system' (Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2017), and 'Prevention of Adverse Cardiovascular Events Using the 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine: A Randomized Clinical Trial' (JAMA Cardiology, 2025). He chairs the Western Pacific Regional Measles Elimination Verification Commission since 2012 and Australia's National Polio Elimination Certification Committee since 2013, served on the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (2009-2012), and contributes to editorial boards such as IJID One Health. Awards include Fellowship of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (FAAHMS, 2018), Member of the Order of Australia (AM, 2021), Freeman of the City of Lake Macquarie (2024), and James Cook University Outstanding Alumni Award (2011).