Diane Gashumba

Ambassador of Rwanda to Sweden since 2021 Served as Rwandan Minister of Health of the Republic of Rwanda ( 2016- 2020. Also served as the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion. She is a paediatrician by profession with 23 years’ experience in global maternal, new-born, child and adolescent health with focus to gender issues. She has a strong management and clinical experience, including 3 years as director of two hospitals and for six years she has worked with USAID funded projects as Deputy Chief of Party, for a $ 57.3 USAID funded project (Rwanda Family Health Project /Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric Foundation ) focusing on improving the quality of and access to services in maternal, child and new born health, family planning, reproductive health, HIV, nutrition , malaria and Gender equality in 23 out of 30 districts in Rwanda. She has worked in a decentralized system and was among the pioneers and implementers of the community health system and primary health care in Rwanda. She served as a board member for The Rwanda Social Security Board leading health insurance, the Global Financing Facility, the board of Roll Back Malaria, Global Health Corps, served as a member of the WHO Digitalization committee Strategist at building capacity and improving quality within the Rwandan Health system, she has led the design and implementation of the baseline assessment and, midterm evaluation of the quality of MNCH in Rwanda in 2015. Skilled expert in quality improvement including supporting implementation of clinical QI activities and initiatives. Former President of the National Women Council, she is a leading global advocate for investment in gender equality and the health, rights, and wellbeing of girls and women with a specific focus on reproductive health and economic empowerment , bringing a strong experience in empowering women through initiation of income generating activities, Gender and women health related policy elaboration and implementation . She has worked closely with reputable global international organizations such as WHO, USAID, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Susan Thompson Buffet Foundation, UNITAID, Sc Johnson, Johnson & Johnson, Welcome Trust. AMREF for Health in Africa on specific projects such as the successful prevention of the spread of Ebola from DR Congo to Rwanda , lead the clinical trial of the first Johnson and Johnson Vaccine against Ebola, the initiation of the hepatitis and cervical cancer elimination , Universal Health coverage in Rwanda, Malaria Cross border strategic plan for East Africa and Democratic Republic of Congo. Together with her peers African Ministers of Health, she worked with Global Fund and African Union Secretariat to initiate the Increase Domestic Financing Initiative in Africa. She is a sought speaker, regularly contributing to UN General Assembly, WHO Assembly, Women Deliver, Women Political Leaders Forum, International Family Planning Conference.