The White House and Kenyan President William Ruto spotlighted the achievements of the AMPATH partnership and Indiana University’s leadership of the AMPATH Consortium of universities around the world during the official state visit last week.
During remarks at Spelman College in Atlanta President Ruto said, “We already have a positive record of progressive and highly impactful collaborative efforts between universities in Kenya and the U.S. One shining example is the transformative Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare, commonly known as AMPATH, which brings together Moi University, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and the AMPATH Consortium of global universities led by Indiana University, and the Government of Kenya. This collaboration has made our healthcare landscape more responsive, effective and inclusive. And as you heard, 24 million people in Kenya are beneficiaries of this collaboration because of improved healthcare outcomes.”
At the same event, Adrian Gardner, MD, MPH, director of the IU Center for Global Health Equity, participated in a roundtable discussion on "Investing in a Shared Future Through Higher Education." Dr. Gardner discussed the ways that AMPATH Kenya's partnership between higher education institutions in Kenya and around the world improves care, provides a platform for training and education and enables research that has global impact.
The White House released a fact sheet about 60 years of official U.S.-Kenya partnership which included:
Strengthening U.S.-Kenya Research Ties with Kenya’s Health Workforce:
The Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) Kenya is a partnership between Moi University, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, and the AMPATH Consortium of global universities around the world led by Indiana University. With $20.7 million in annual funding from USAID, these partners are reaching 120,000 Kenyans on life saving antiretroviral treatment. Through AMPATH, the universities commit to continuing the education of healthcare providers, medical students, residents, and community health workers.
AMPATH and IU were also highlighted in stories about the State Visit in Kenyan media including stories about new partnerships to support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education.
The meetings and events in Washington, D.C., followed several meetings by AMPATH and IU leaders the previous week in Kenya including U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman; Kenya First Lady Rachel Ruto; Cabinet Secretary for Health Nakhumicha S. Wafula; Principal Secretary for the State Department for Higher Education and Research Dr. Beatrice Muganda Inyangala; and Principal Secretary for the State Department of Diaspora Affairs Roseline K. Njogu.
