Yale Global Health Leadership Institute recognized by President Clinton for work in Rwanda

Elizabeth Bradley, faculty director of the Yale Global Health Leadership Institute (GHLI), accepted recognition from President Bill Clinton on Sept. 25 for Yale’s commitment to the Rwanda Human Resources for Health Program. Bradley was invited on stage to join the former president at the 2012 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting in New York City in honor of Yale’s role in this exemplary approach to addressing a global challenge. 

Yale has joined a consortium of 13 top universities from across the United States to support the Rwandan Ministry of Health’s Human Resources for Health Program (HRH). Representing a new model for global collaboration, the program aims to build the capacity of Rwandan universities and teaching hospitals to develop a sustainable pipeline of health care professionals, including physicians, nurses, and health managers. 

“I think this is one of the most important commitments ever announced at the CGI,” said Clinton as he invited the participating members of the Rwandan project on stage.

“This program demonstrates the power of collaboration to attain big results. The Ministry of Health has outlined an ambitious plan, one that will only be achievable by bringing together many universities in pursuit of one goal,” said Bradley. “The impact of this partnership goes beyond the contributions of a single department or specialty to redefine interdisciplinary approaches to health systems strengthening. We are honored to be part of this unprecedented collaboration.”

Yale’s work in Rwanda assembles experts from internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and health management. The clinical specialties focus on developing a more robust set of residency programs at the National University of Rwanda and associated teaching hospitals. The health management program is training workers from across the country to take on leadership roles in hospital and district administration. GHLI (www.yale.edu/ghli) is working with the National University of Rwanda to launch a Master’s in Healthcare Administration program, and is using on-site mentors in select teaching hospitals to strengthen leadership capacity, build management systems, and improve quality of care.   

The Rwanda HRH Program is financed by the U.S. government and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.