Rwanda’s experience will increasingly help shape how the World Health Organisation (WHO) supports other African countries, through sharing lessons, scaling best practices, and advancing African-led solutions, according to its Regional Director for Africa, Professor Mohamed Yakub Janabi.
ALSO READ: Kagame discusses partnerships with Gavi, WHO officials
"This is about moving faster together, building resilient systems, and delivering better health outcomes for Africans, by Africans,” Janabi said.
Janabi is set to conclude a short visit to Rwanda on Thursday, April 23, during which he met President Paul Kagame to discuss strengthening collaboration for improved health outcomes across the continent.
ALSO READ: How Rwanda’s new Rwf7tn strategy plans to improve healthcare
He also held talks with the Minister of State for Health, Yvan Butera, on advancing national health priorities, and with the Minister of Health, Sabin Nsanzimana, whom he commended for Rwanda’s progress in universal health coverage, local manufacturing, primary healthcare, and emergency preparedness.
As part of the visit, he toured the cardiology unit at King Faisal Hospital, where he expressed admiration for the advanced technology and expertise used in delivering patient care.
In an interview with The New Times, Janabi said the visit aimed to engage with national leadership and health sector officials to align on shared priorities for strengthening health systems across Africa.
It also provided an opportunity to learn from Rwanda’s experience in building a resilient, people-centred health system that delivers results at scale.
He added that the visit reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to supporting African countries through technical guidance and long-term institutional partnerships that translate policy into tangible health impact.
According to Janabi, Rwanda offers a practical example of how strong political leadership, clear accountability, and data-driven decision-making can transform health outcomes, even in resource-limited settings.
"Seeing how policies are implemented from the national level down to communities has deepened my understanding of what works when health systems are deliberately designed to be integrated, resilient, and people-focused.
"These insights are helping the WHO Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) strengthen its support in the region, moving away from fragmented projects towards stronger national systems,” he said.
Janabi noted that health leaders discussed several key priorities, including strengthening primary healthcare as the foundation of health systems and ensuring sustainable financing through greater domestic resource mobilisation.
They also stressed the importance of building resilient systems capable of responding to emergencies and pandemics.
Other priorities included investing in the health workforce through skills development, motivation, and retention, as well as improving access to services for non-communicable diseases and maternal and child health.
The growing role of digital health in improving service delivery was also highlighted.
Janabi said this alignment across countries provides an opportunity for more coordinated progress across the region.
He said the most important lesson from Rwanda’s experience is that health system transformation is a leadership choice.
"Rwanda shows that when there is sustained political commitment, clear accountability, and smart use of data, progress is possible even with limited resources. Other crucial lessons include investing early in primary healthcare, aligning partners behind national priorities, using digital tools to improve service delivery, and treating health as a long-term national investment rather than a short-term cost,” he said.
Following meetings with President Kagame and other health leaders, WHO AFRO and Rwanda are expected to further strengthen their partnership and adopt a more strategic approach going forward.
Janabi said WHO AFRO will continue working with Rwanda as a trusted technical partner, supporting health system strengthening, innovation, and regional learning.