- Distinguished African American Institute Fellow and Executive Secretary of African Leaders Malaria Alliance
- Rolled out first comprehensive national HIV/AIDS treatment program in Africa in Botswana following AIDS crisis of late 90s
Sept. 30, 2020 – The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) warmly welcomes Ms. Joy Phumaphi to its board of directors. Ms. Phumaphi is a Botswana national, a distinguished African American Institute Fellow, and Executive Secretary of African Leaders Malaria Alliance, which focuses on country level accountability and management for malaria, as well as women, children, and adolescents’ health. She is also the co-chair of the UN Secretary General’s Independent Accountability Panel for Women, Children, and Adolescent health.
“We are excited to have Ms. Phumaphi join the CHAI board. She brings with her extensive national and global experience that will be invaluable to CHAI’s development and growth. Her membership on the board will help ensure that CHAI’s work remains relevant and sustainable for the communities we serve in the countries we work,” said CHAI CEO Iain Barton.
About Joy Phumaphi
Ms. Phumaphi started her career in public service as a principal local government auditor where she was responsible for all local authorities in the country. She went on to serve as a Member of Parliament. She held cabinet responsibility for Lands and Housing, and established a groundbreaking housing policy that provided housing for all Batswana regardless of income status.
She later became Minister of Health, a role that catapulted her to international acclaim after establishing the first comprehensive HIV/AIDS treatment program in Africa, amidst an HIV/AIDS crisis in the country and the world. She was awarded the Stanley H. Knowles Humanitarian Award in 2003 for this work.
On joining the CHAI board, Ms. Phumaphi said, “My career in public health was motivated by the desire to ensure the availability and accessibility of treatment and care for underserved communities, particularly women, newborns, and children who are disproportionately at high risk of infection and death from many preventable diseases. I am excited to champion and support CHAI’s mission to improve healthcare for all regardless of where you were born, and its commitment to strengthen health systems around the world to ensure the sustainability of healthcare solutions it supports.”
Ms. Phumaphi has served as Assistant Director General for Family and Community Health at the World Health Organization (WHO), Vice President for Human Development at the World Bank and co-chair of the UN Independent Expert Review Group (IERG) during the review of the millennium development goals.
She has served on the board of several international non-profits in global health, including, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF); the African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnership (ACHAP); Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV); Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RBM); and Save the Children among others.
About CHAI
The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low-and middle-income countries, while strengthening the capabilities of governments and the private sector in those countries to create and sustain high-quality health systems that can succeed without our assistance. Learn more at www.clintonhealthaccess.org.
