Photo An American pediatric specialist during a radiology teaching session with pediatric residents in Kigali, Rwanda. In the past 15 years, Rwanda has worked to build a near-universal health care system. Credit Martina Bacigalupo for The New York Times

To the Editor:

Re Rwandas Lessons (Really) on Health Care, by Eduardo Porter (Economic Scene column, July 19):

My colleagues and I recently returned from Banda, a village in rural Rwanda that our organization, Kageno, has worked in for a decade. There, we witnessed firsthand the progress in health care mentioned in this article, as well as the challenges that remain.

We believe that improving the health of the villagers requires a multifaceted approach. This is why our organization supports local projects related to health care, the environment, education and sustainable commercial ventures.

We found that these types of projects contributed to the overall well-being of Banda and the surrounding area. They required perseverance, cooperation among the people and their institutions, and because lasting improvements sometimes evolve slowly, patience.

By the time our trip ended, we were deeply moved by the strength and determination of the villagers in Banda, who constantly sought a healthier, more prosperous future for their children. Perhaps we in the United States could learn from Bandas villagers by using a little more cooperation, perseverance and patience in our own health care system.

NICK DEFABRIZIO, AUGUSTA, N.J.

The writer is on the advisory board of Kageno, which supports villages in rural Rwanda and Kenya.

Read the original:

Health Care in Rwanda - New York Times