BUTARO, Rwanda – Billionaire philanthropist and founder of the Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, has praised the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) for its outstanding contribution to improving healthcare and training the next generation of health professionals.
Gates made the remarks during a visit to UGHE’s Butaro campus on July 22, 2026, where he was welcomed by the university’s leadership led by Vice Chancellor Prof. Philip Cotton.
During his visit, Gates paid tribute to the late Dr. Paul Farmer, the renowned physician and humanitarian who founded UGHE and passed away in 2022. He described Farmer as a close friend whose legacy continues to transform global healthcare.
“I want to honor the legacy of the man who helped build this place, my dear friend Paul Farmer. I had the privilege of visiting his grave here at UGHE and planting a tree at his memorial, one of the giant California redwoods Paul introduced to Butaro. Standing there reminded me of my very first remarkable visit to Rwanda,” Gates said.
He emphasized that although Paul Farmer is no longer alive, his vision and contributions to healthcare will continue to inspire future generations.
In his address, Gates commended Rwanda’s remarkable achievements in strengthening its healthcare system, particularly its efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality.
His visit coincided with the Paul E. Farmer Butaro Dialogues, a conference organized by UGHE in partnership with the Consortium of Medical Schools–Africa (COMS-A).
The event brought together government officials, academics, researchers, healthcare professionals, university representatives, development partners, non-governmental organizations, students, and young innovators.
This year’s discussions focused on closing the gap between proven healthcare innovations and their practical implementation, particularly in maternal, newborn, and child health.
Health experts at the forum stressed that high maternal and child mortality rates are not solely caused by a lack of medical knowledge, but also by challenges in financing, scaling, and sustaining proven healthcare interventions where they are needed most.
UGHE Vice Chancellor Prof. Philip Cotton urged the international community to reassess its commitment to global health financing.
“Today, we call on the global health community to measure the gap between what we claim to value and what we actually invest in, and then work together to close that gap,” he said.