Director's Message

Eight doctoral and five master level Gates Scholars, 15 visiting scholars from universities in Ethiopia, Ghana, Jamaica, and Nigeria, collaborative teaching and research activities with eight universities in lesser resourced settings—which themselves mentor and prepare more than 150 graduate students in public and reproductive health issues yearly – 54 short-term summer trainees, 20-plus research projects, four international and national conferences and many emails later, the Gates Institute takes a deep breath as it reviews the accomplishments of 2006 and looks ahead to 2007. What does all this add in value to national reproductive health and development? We ask ourselves this question almost daily to strengthen our focus on the prize at the end of our mission–that all pregnancies are wanted, healthy and safely delivered and that these outcomes are equitably experienced by all individuals, locally and globally.

By design, the Institute’s contributions are only visible and tangible in the reproductive health work of the leaders with whom it interacts on a continual basis, whether through training, research support, improved programs and policies or new funding resources for the field. 

Amy Ong Tsui
Professor and Director