The ceremony took place in the evening of Thursday on 24th February 2022.
“President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame joined Dr. Didi Bertrand Farmer and family as well as friends and colleagues of Dr. Paul Farmer for a farewell ceremony in honor of Dr. Paul Farmer and the immeasurable global impact of his life,” Rwanda’s Presidency has revealed via Twitter handle.
Dr. Didi Bertrand Farmer, the wife of late Farmer arrived in Rwanda on Thursday afternoon to take his husband’s body to USA for burial.
The death of Dr. Paul Farmer whose work touched millions of lives globally has shocked many people including Rwandans. The global health champion who is the co-founder of Partners In Health (PIH) and the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) located in Butaro, Burera district breathed the last on Monday 21st February 2022 succumbing to sudden death condition.
He has been a friend of Rwanda for more than 20 years who significantly contributed to the advancement of the country’s health sector.
Known locally as Inshuti Mu Buzima, PIH has worked in Rwanda since 2005, helping the government fight HIV, improve maternal and child health, and bring integrated, high-quality health care to more than 860,000 people across Burera, Kayonza, and Kirehe districts.
In 2019, President Paul Kagame decorated Dr. Farmer with the Igihango National Order of Outstanding Friendship medal.
Following his demise, President Paul Kagame was among high profile personalities expressed condolences to the bereaved family noting that he will be cherished for his contribution to national development.
He said that is hard to find the words to express the sad news of the passing of Paul Farmer, a philanthropist who ‘combined many things hard to find in one person’.
The Head of State went on to explain that ‘the weight of his loss is in many ways personal, to the country of Rwanda [which he loved and to which he contributed so much during its reconstruction], to my family and to myself’.
Before his death, Dr. Farmer spent one month in Rwanda where he lectured at UGHE and attended to patients at Butaro Hospital.
He died at the age of 62.
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