Over the past 15 years, we have witnessed major declines in child and maternal mortality and progress in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria in countries around the world. Still, an estimated 5.9 million children under 5 died in 2015, mostly from preventable causes. That same year, 2.1 million people became newly infected with HIV, and an estimated 214 million people contracted malaria.
In this podcast, I speak with Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, an eminent physician and CEO of Big Win Philanthropy, an independent foundation that invests in children and young people in developing countries to improve their lives and to maximize demographic dividends for long-term economic growth.
As a former Minister of State for Health in Nigeria who spearheaded Saving One Million Lives, a bold effort to expand vaccinations and access to essential health care services for women and children, Dr. Pate knows well the challenges of transforming aspirations into achievements.
Dr. Pate and I talk about SDG #3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. Listen to his perspectives on how multilateral institutions can be more effective, on the need to consider demographic and social megatrends, and on the critical role of good governance and local leadership. You will come away with greater insight into what it will take to build on the important progress already made.
This conversation is the third in a series of candid discussions I’m having with cutting-edge thinkers in international development. You can hear them all on SoundCloud or iTunes.