President Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame hosted a dinner at Urugwiro Village on Monday, January 26, in honour of philanthropists Bill and Joyce Cummings, Didi Bertrand Farmer, Ophelia Dahl, Founder of Partners In Health, Dr Jim Yong Kim, Chancellor of the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), and Prof Philip Cotton, UGHE Vice Chancellor. The dinner followed UGHE’s graduation ceremony and the celebration of the university’s 10th anniversary, which was attended by the First Lady on Sunday, January 25, in Burera District. ALSO READ: UGHE graduates first cohort of doctors, marks 10 years of health equity training According to Village Urugwiro, the discussions highlighted the UGHE's contributions to the education sector, particularly its role in providing high-quality training for the next generation of global health leaders. The graduation marked the university’s first cohort from its dual medical degree programme, which combines a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery with a Master of Science in Global Health Delivery. In total, 78 students graduated this year, including 30 medical doctors and 48 from the Master of Science in Global Health Delivery programme. ALSO READ: PM Nsengiyumva urges UGHE graduates to lead resilient health systems The graduates specialised in one of four areas: One Health, Health Management, Gender, Sexual and Reproductive Health, or Global Surgery. During the ceremony, the First Lady received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in recognition of her exceptional leadership, humanitarian service, and long-standing contribution to education, health, and social transformation. ALSO READ: First Lady Jeannette Kagame awarded honorary doctorate by UGHE UGHE is a Partners In Health–affiliated initiative, founded in 2014 under the leadership of the late Dr. Paul Farmer. Other founding partners include the Government of Rwanda, the Cummings Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The institution seeks to transform the delivery of healthcare globally by training the next generation of health professionals to provide equitable, high-quality care, with a special focus on vulnerable communities. UGHE is ranked among top higher education institutions in sub-Saharan Africa.
