Dr Henry W Foster Jr was President of the Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennesee, in the 1990s having been among the Meharry leaders who helped to merge the College’s Hubbard Hospital with Metro General Hospital.
He became a national figure in America when he served as President Clinton’s senior advisor on teenage pregnancy reduction and youth issues. President Clinton nominated Dr Foster for the post of Surgeon General of the United States in 1995 but Dr Foster, who had performed terminations during his career, eventually lost out on the role after facing opposition from Republicans in Congress and other conservative groups. During his career he also served as a Medical Officer, USAF from 1959 to 1961 and completed residency training in surgery in Massachusetts and Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Meharry.
From the mid-1960s to the early 1970s he was Chief of Obstetrics and Gynaecology for Tuskegee Institute’s John Andrew Hospital. In 1973, Dr Foster moved to Nashville and took up academic appointments at Meharry and Vanderbilt. His career was dedicated to women’s health and he worked tirelessly for an improvement in their care. Dr Foster founded and directed Meharry’s ‘I Have a Future Program’ which effectively reduced teen pregnancy rates amongst the inner city Nashville youth and for which he received one of the nation’s Thousand Points of Light Awards by President George H W Bush.
In 1993, Dr Foster received his first honorary doctorate degree from the University of Arkansas and in 2016 he was inducted into the Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame.Dr Foster was also immediate past chair of the US Committee for the United Nations Population Fund, the immediate past chair of the board of directors for Pathfinder International. In addition to these he served two terms as Chair of the board of regents of the United States National Library of Medicine.
Dr Foster authored more than 250 publications and abstracts, contributed chapters to textbooks, conducted many university lectureships. His professional expertise was sought across the globe.
His unwavering commitment to health care led to his induction into the National Academy of Medicine as one of its youngest members.
In a prepared statement to The Tennessean newspaper, James Hildreth, president and CEO of Meharry Medical College described Dr Foster as a "distinguished educator and health care pioneer" as well as a "brilliant and influential" doctor and Black health care leader.
He added: "He dedicated his entire life to the improvement of our nation’s health and health care, especially for those who are poor or marginalised. We are deeply saddened to lose such an outstanding force in our community.
"Dr Foster has left a legacy that will continue to transform the lives of the underserved for years to come.”
