Phillip Mwebaza
Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), and Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, have announced a collaboration to enhance health, nutrition, and sanitation in low- and middle-income countries, especially Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
The alliance will increase investment in human development while also assisting developing nations in adapting agriculture to climate change, increasing financial inclusion, and promoting gender equality.
President Hoyer and Bill Gates agreed to focus on strengthening health systems and primary healthcare, increasing the prevention of polio and other infectious diseases, and promoting research and development in the health sector.
The two parties will also continue to support the manufacturing, procurement and delivery of treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, malaria, HIV, tuberculosis and other diseases.
While speaking about the partnership, EIB President Werner Hoyer said, “Ensuring that everyone in the world has access to safe and affordable healthcare, basic services, and tools and resources to adapt to a changing climate, is a moral imperative and a priority for the European Union.”
He as well expressed his gratitude for the collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation while citing that Working together is the only way to tackle global challenges.
Bill Gates, the co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said, “We all need to make strong commitments to sustainable development in lower- and middle-income countries.”
Additionally, he said, “Our partnership with the EIB will create high-impact development financing and programming to help more people access financial tools, adapt to climate change and live healthier lives.”
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the EIB have previously collaborated, together with the European Commission, on the African Health Diagnostic Platform and the European Health Platform.
Both platforms were set up to improve access to laboratory, vaccine and diagnostic services for low-income populations in Africa and EU neighbouring countries.
Elaborating more on the partnership, Melinda French Gates, the co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said, “This commitment will build on our years of successful collaboration to support the dedicated people working on the front lines in Africa, Asia and around the world.”
She affirmed that when all people have the opportunity and tools to exercise power over their lives, our world becomes a more equal, healthy and hopeful place.