The ONE Campaign

Last week, I had the privilege of leading a German delegation on a trip to Rwanda, witnessing firsthand the transformative potential and impact of development cooperation.  We met with senior leadership from the German embassy, GIZ, Rwanda’s Ministry of Health and Dr. Sahr John Kpundeh from the World Bank. We also visited projects like Zipline, a mobile hospital in Burgesera disctrict and Masaka Hospital, among others, supported by our partners Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, The Global Fund, and The World Bank. Additionally, we had the honour of hosting leaders from across Rwanda’s public and private sectors for insightful dinner conversations on the role of development cooperation in supporting employment, climate action and community engagement in Rwanda. With each meeting and site visit, we saw evidence of how investments from and collaboration with development partners have supported Rwanda’s government in making remarkable progress in health coverage, disease prevention and management, and health systems strengthening.    Guided by Rwanda’s national development strategies and complemented by the country’s extensive network of community health workers and community-based health insurance scheme, Gavi, GIZ, the Global Fund and the World Bank have had a hand in one or more of the following achievements in Rwanda: ·      96% of children are fully immunised (as per Rwanda’s latest demographic and health survey) ·     Zeroreports of vaccine stockouts  ·     All COVID-19 vaccine targets met  ·     UNAIDS 95-95-95 target almost met everywhere ·     A significant decrease in nationwide malaria cases from 5 million in 2016 to 600,000 in 2023.  ·      A success rate in treating multi-drug resistant tuberculosis that is above the global average.  ·     Improving the maturity level of the country’s Food and Drug Authority in support of Rwanda’s goal to become a regional vaccine manufacturing hub.      These impressive achievements are the result of targeted investment, true partnership and country ownership, contributing to a global community that is more resilient to external shocks from climate change and future pandemics. Already, Gavi has helped avert 17.3 million future deaths by scaling up vaccination and the Global Fund has saved 59 million lives, with every US$1 invested yielding US$31 in health gains and economic returns. The World Bank’s International Development Association is a lifeline for countries facing debt vulnerabilities. Continued support from partners like Germany is key to sustaining the success stories we see in Rwanda and other African countries. I left Rwanda energised and even more committed to advocating for the championing and continued support of these organisations by countries everywhere. The road ahead may be hard, but the impact we can achieve together is proven and worth fighting for. #DevelopmentCooperation #GlobalHealth #Rwanda #Partnerships #SustainableDevelopment