Her Majesty Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso of this week headed a high-level delegation from the Ministry of Health on a working visit to Rwanda aimed at studying the country’s widely acclaimed human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme and its pioneering use of Zipline drones for medical supply delivery.
The mission, facilitated by the Rwanda Cooperation Initiative, focused on practical exchanges that could strengthen Lesotho’s own health-system performance, particularly in cervical cancer prevention and last-mile healthcare logistics in mountainous terrain similar to that of the two countries.
During the visit, the Queen and her delegation received detailed briefings on Rwanda’s HPV vaccination campaign, which has achieved among the highest coverage rates in Africa since its nationwide rollout in 2011 and subsequent integration into the routine immunisation schedule.
Delegates also observed operations at one of Zipline’s distribution centres, where autonomous drones deliver blood products, vaccines, and essential medicines to remote health facilities within minutes – a system that has become a global benchmark since its launch in Rwanda in 2016.
In remarks at the conclusion of the technical sessions, Queen ‘Masenate expressed gratitude to the Rwanda Cooperation Initiative for the warm reception and comprehensive programme.
“We would like to come back because we have realised that we have a lot to learn and take back to our country,” Her Majesty said. “We have seen some practices we would like to adopt.”
The Queen was separately received by Rwanda’s First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, at the headquarters of the Imbuto Foundation in Kigali. The meeting included a presentation on the foundation’s initiatives in health, education, and youth empowerment, followed by an exchange on shared priorities between the two nations.
Areas of mutual interest highlighted during the discussions included adolescent girls’ health, cancer awareness, and empowering young people as agents of development.
The visit highlights growing health diplomacy between Rwanda and Lesotho, two mountainous African kingdoms that face comparable geographic challenges in delivering services to rural populations.
Lesotho, which introduced the HPV vaccine in 2022 with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has been working to scale up coverage and is now exploring innovative delivery mechanisms suited to its terrain.
Delegates from the Ministry of Health included Minister Selibe Mochoboroane.
Summary
- Her Majesty Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso of this week headed a high-level delegation from the Ministry of Health on a working visit to Rwanda aimed at studying the country’s widely acclaimed human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme and its pioneering use of Zipline drones for medical supply delivery.
- During the visit, the Queen and her delegation received detailed briefings on Rwanda’s HPV vaccination campaign, which has achieved among the highest coverage rates in Africa since its nationwide rollout in 2011 and subsequent integration into the routine immunisation schedule.
- Delegates also observed operations at one of Zipline’s distribution centres, where autonomous drones deliver blood products, vaccines, and essential medicines to remote health facilities within minutes – a system that has become a global benchmark since its launch in Rwanda in 2016.
Ntsoaki Motaung is an award-winning health journalist from Lesotho, specializing in community health stories with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as HIV. She has contributed to platforms like “Be in the KNOW,” highlighting issues such as the exclusion of people with disabilities from HIV prevention efforts in Lesotho.
In addition to her journalism, Ntsoaki serves as the Country Coordinator for the Regional Media Action Plan Support Network (REMAPSEN). She is also a 2023 CPHIA Journalism Fellow.
