MGHD 24 Class graduates join officials and faculty for a group photo.
It was joy and delight as the University of Global Health Equity graduated its 9th Cohort from its Master of Science in Global Health Delivery (MGHD) in a colourful ceremony held at Kigali Convention Centre (KCC) on Sunday, August 4, which was officiated by the Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, who represented President Paul Kagame.
The Butaro-based university celebrated the commencement of the MGHD 2024 class made up of 54 students from 16 countries across the globe in a ceremony which was attended by senior officials, relatives and families, faculty, staff and invited guests who joined the graduands to celebrate a year’s worth of hard work, accomplishments and milestones.
Countries represented in the graduating cohort included Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, USA, and Zambia.
The students graduated under one of four different options – One Health, Health Management, Gender, Sexual and Reproductive Health or the newest Global Surgery.
Addressing the ceremony, the Minister of Health, Dr. Nsanzimana congratulated the leadership and students of UGHE following a recent ranking that put the university among the top eight universities in Sub-Saharan Africa, a milestone he said is great and worth celebrating.
Dr. Nsanzimana urged the graduating students to join government efforts to transform the health sector.
As he did on the previous cohort, the Minister of Health used the opportunity to invite the graduates, especially the young ones, to join public and global health service, pointing out that a good number from last year’s cohort is currently working with the Ministry and affiliated institutions with a mission of transforming the country’s health sector.
He also revealed that the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Yvan Butera, is also an alumnus of UGHE, which goes to show the quality and standard of the graduates the university produces.
“We have a lot to do together, starting with our 4×4 strategy that I know many of you, the entire UGHE family, have been part of drafting and now in implementation,” Minister Nsanzimana said.
“We’re not only talking about numbers. We are also talking about the standards, the quality of education and UGHE is an important player,” he said.
To the students, he said the journey started for them to change the legacy of very few providers, so many patients and so many diseases and that is a challenge they need to address, promising them that the Ministry will play its role to accompany them on that journey.
“Together we can achieve this goal. It’s not just a number. 4×4 is also the problem that we are going to solve because we are committed. It’s not just the training or health education, it’s also how we are gifted by God,”
“You can discover things, you can do research, you can innovate the next vaccine, the next drug, the next solution, the next formula will come from you,” he urged on the young and ambitious graduates, reminding them that they can be the solution to the many problems the world faces today.
Placide Sesonga, one of the graduating students, addresses the ceremony.
While officially opening the graduation ceremony, UGHE Chancellor Dr. Jim Yong Kim, who is also the former President of the World Bank, paid tribute to the Late Dr. Paul Farmer, who founded UGHE, calling on the graduates to go and fulfil the dream he had, which is transforming healthcare on the continent.
“It’s a fantastic honour for me to be here. It’s my first time as Chancellor of the University of Global Health Equity. This University was the brainchild of my great friend, who tragically passed away here in Rwanda, in 2022, Dr. Paul Farmer,”
“I have to admit to all of you that when I heard of his idea to build a world-class Medical School and University in one of the poorest regions in Rwanda, I thought he was crazy. I was the author of many crazy ideas with Paul, but I thought this was one of the craziest,”
With the strong support of generous donors and people of like minds coming together, they created one of the greatest experiments in education which today is no longer an experiment but a dream come true.
“The dream was to build a great university that would not only have an impact on health and education in Rwanda, but would also help transform medical and health education on the continent of Africa,” he said.
Dr. Kim said UGHE will continue to live up to Dr. Paul Farmer’s dream of achieving global health equity.
“Please, know that we have extremely high expectations of every single one of you. We expect that you will go out and transform health care in Africa and the world, especially for the poorest and most marginalised who deserve so much better. We will be with you every step of the way,” he said, reminding them that they are the leaders of tomorrow everyone has been waiting for.
Prof. Abebe Bekele, Deputy Vice Chancellor, UGHE said that the graduates are a remarkable group of students who have shown dedication, resilience, and passion for improving health outcomes, most importantly for the most vulnerable.
“A special congratulations to our first-ever pioneering graduates of the MGHD track in Global Surgery. Congratulations to each of you. Your journey is just beginning, and the impact you will make is boundless.” Prof. Bekele said.
The Master of Science in Global Health Delivery, is UGHE’s flagship program which seeks to transform healthcare experts into global health leaders through an interdisciplinary, biosocial approach. Guided by senior faculty members and renowned experts, graduates gain invaluable insights and practical experience via coursework, field placements, and real-world case studies.
They collaborate with local communities, international organizations, and governmental bodies, showcasing their dedication to improving global health outcomes. The intensive research practicum provides hands-on experience in research design, implementation, management, analysis, and dissemination.
A proud bunch of graduates from the 9th cohort follow the speeches.
Specialized tracks offer a deeper understanding of core health challenges and targeted solutions. These bright minds are poised to become catalysts of change, driving innovations and improving health systems worldwide.
Students who spoke on behalf of others, including Placide Sesonga, from Rwanda, representing the One Health Track in the MGHD program and Gathwiri Murithi from Kenya, representing the Global Surgery option, spoke about how rigorous the course was, intimating how they spent sleepless night but their efforts paid off.
“The University of Global Health Equity envisions a world where everyone, including the most vulnerable, has access to quality healthcare, regardless of their location. We have every confidence that each of you will do everything in your power to reach out to the most underserved populations and achieve equitable global healthcare delivery.” says Prof. Philip Cotton, Vice Chancellor, UGHE.
Dr. Vikram Patel, Paul Farmer Professor and Chair of the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, who was the graduation speaker reminded the graduates that behind every statistic is a person with a story. Empathy—feeling the joy and pain of others—will be your most powerful tool.
Dr. Vikram Patel was the commencement speaker.
He highlighted the unique nature of UGHE, as a university which was thought and conceived to address issues of inequality in global healthcare, recalling his first trip to Rwanda with Dr. Paul Farmer, which helped him to understand what the university was all about and its mission to ensure social justice.
“I’m sure all of you will recognise UGHE is no ordinary Medical School. I don’t think there’s any other medical school on the planet that has the words ‘Health’ and ‘Equity’ in bold and I think I recognize that is what is truly audacious about this medical school,” he said, adding that his most recent visit marked a poignant moment for him since the passing of Dr. Farmer.
He however said that the achievements of UGHE do not only make Dr. Paul Farmer proud wherever he is but they also uphold his legacy, reminding the graduates that they have chosen a path that transcends just a mere career.
“For health Equity isn’t just learning about treating diseases in individuals. It’s about addressing those structural, systemic disparities, advocating for the poor and the vulnerable and ensuring that everyone has the same quality of Health and Health Care, no matter where they live, no matter what their situation and life is,”
“Find your passion within this incredibly diverse field. The four options we heard about today are just a sampling of the diversity of things that you can be doing in global health delivery,” Dr. Patel said.
Dr. Patel called on the graduates to be driven by passion and empathy as they serve.
He said that the fact that the ceremony was presided over by the Minister, who was a faculty member of UGHE and is deputised by a State Minister who graduated from UGHE confirms the responsibilities awaiting them and the trust the public has in them.
“This should be an inspiration for all of you who wish to serve in government and in policy and of course in research. Let your purpose and your heart guide you. Remember that behind every single number, every single statistic, there is a person. There is a story waiting to be heard, waiting to be told.
“Empathy, the fundamental human quality of being able to feel the joy and pain of others is going to be your most powerful tool. Understand the lives of others, their struggles, fears, and hopes,” he said, reminding the graduating students to serve diligently.
It was joy and delight for the graduates.
The best students were recognised.
