Rwanda has so far registered fewer than 200 cases of COVID-19. According to its former health minister Agnes Binagwaho, the low numbers are due to government action that was faster than in other countries.
The vice-chancellor of the University of Global Health Equity, a Partners in Health initiative that trains medical professionals for work in low resource settings, Binagwaho is a prominent voice on the global health stage. In this interview with Devex’s President and Editor-in-Chief Raj Kumar, she tackles a number of issues related to the pandemic, including how social distancing can work in low-income countries.
Binagwaho, who is also a senior adviser to the World Health Organization, also addresses the controversy over U.S. President Donald Trump‘s attacks on the organization.
More interviews with humanitarian leaders on COVID-19. Watch:
• How Jan Egeland sees the crisis developing
• Mark Dybul calls for global task force
• Amref Health Africa CEO on the impact on NGO finances
• Former OFDA chief gives Trump administration a ‘D’ on response
• How behavioral science is changing the response
Visit our dedicated COVID-19 page for news, job opportunities, and funding insights.
About the author
Raj Kumarraj_devex
Raj Kumar is the President and Editor-in-Chief at Devex, the media platform for the global development community. He is a media leader and former humanitarian council chair for the World Economic Forum and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. His work has led him to more than 50 countries, where he has had the honor to meet many of the aid workers and development professionals who make up the Devex community. He is the author of the book "The Business of Changing the World," a go-to primer on the ideas, people, and technology disrupting the aid industry.