Rwanda's First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, has called for stronger collaboration, innovation and investment in primary healthcare to further reduce preventable maternal and child deaths. She made the remarks on Tuesday, July 22, during the launch of the Paul E. Farmer Butaro Dialogues, a forum organized by the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) in partnership with the Consortium of Medical Schools–Africa (COMS-A). Addressing government officials, health experts, researchers, students and development partners, Jeannette Kagame said the world already has proven solutions to save the lives o

Rwanda's First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, has called for stronger collaboration, innovation and investment in primary healthcare to further reduce preventable maternal and child deaths. She made the remarks on Tuesday, July 22, during the launch of the Paul E. Farmer Butaro Dialogues, a forum organized by the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) in partnership with the Consortium of Medical Schools–Africa (COMS-A). Addressing government officials, health experts, researchers, students and development partners, Jeannette Kagame said the world already has proven solutions to save the lives of mothers and children, but the challenge lies in ensuring those solutions reach everyone. "Today's challenge is not the absence of solutions, but how to implement strategies that have already proven effective so that every mother and every child can benefit, with no one left behind," she said. The First Lady emphasized that quality healthcare begins within communities, urging greater investment in primary healthcare, innovation, technology and stronger collaboration between experienced professionals and young health leaders. She noted that Rwanda's progress demonstrates how coordinated policies, clear priorities and partnerships can deliver lasting improvements in public health. Over the past three decades, Rwanda has reduced maternal mortality from 1,071 to 149 deaths per 100,000 live births, while under-five mortality has fallen from 196 to 36 deaths per 1,000 live births. Also speaking at the event, philanthropist Bill Gates praised Rwanda's leadership in using digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen healthcare delivery. He described Rwanda's healthcare system as a model that many countries can learn from, noting that the country has achieved more than an 80% reduction in both maternal and child mortality since the beginning of the century. However, Gates warned that declining international health funding poses a serious threat to global health progress and urged countries to build resilient health systems through innovation, local investment and stronger partnerships. The Paul E. Farmer Butaro Dialogues honor the legacy of the late global health pioneer Dr. Paul Farmer, whose vision was to ensure that access to quality healthcare is a right for everyone, regardless of where they live.

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