23 | Good Systems Save Lives | Agnes Binagwaho

Social Medicine On Air

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We're joined today by the incredible Agnes Binagwaho, who speaks with us about gender equity and religion before, during, and after the colonial era, the positive power of institutions like the University of Global Health Equity, the importance of teaching leadership and implementation science, and the importance of good systems in care for the most vulnerable. She talks about demystifying healthcare systems, explaining how Rwanda has seen some of the fastest declines in mortality in human history, the importance of human rights, and the importance of trust, accountability, and community (including community health workers). "Tell the truth!"

Agnes Binagwaho MD, M(Ped), PhD is the Vice Chancellor of the University of Global Health Equity, the former Minister of Health of Rwanda and former Professor of Global Health Equity at UGHE. She also is a trained pediatrician, Senior Lecture at the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, a member of the US National Academy of Medicine and the African Academy of Sciences, and was Co-Chair of the UN task force on the Millennium Development Goals Project for HIV/AIDS and Access to Essential Medicines (among many, many other positions).

Resources related to this episode:

• A. Binagwaho "How Women are Revolutionizing Rwanda" (TED Talk, 2020), bit.ly/3w5hOxB
• A. Binagwaho "Lessons from Rwanda's Journey to an Equitable Health System" (TED Talk, 2017), bit.ly/3znfhRw
• Farmer P E et al. Reduced premature mortality in Rwanda: lessons from success. BMJ 2013, bit.ly/2TSvuOj
• Binagwaho A et al. Rwanda 20 years on: investing in life. Lancet 2014, bit.ly/3cv7N58