Janvier Kabogo

Improving Pharmaceutical Access in Africa 

At the age of 11, in his home country of Rwanda, Janvier Kabogo watched his aunt and uncle decline and eventually die from HIV/AIDS. The progression of their illness exposed health system deficits in the country, which at the time lacked adequate patient care and access to antiretroviral therapies. The experience inspired him to become a pharmacist. 

While earning his pharmacy degree at the University of Rwanda, Kabogo became vice president of the Rwanda Pharmaceutical Students Association, overseeing a nationwide anti-diabetes campaign that reached more than 50,000 university students. When his university was selected to host the World Healthcare Students’ Symposium in 2017, he served as chair of the conference, which drew over 1,500 health care students from 32 countries. 

“I dream of becoming a key player, public health leader, and health business strategist in the clinical research and pharmaceutical businesses.”

After graduation, Kabogo was an intern and assistant public health specialist for the Sustainable Development Goals Center for Africa, where he contributed to the policy analysis and reported on the health and well-being goal for African countries. Later, he worked for the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village, an organization that empowers Rwandan orphans and other vulnerable youth. There, during the pandemic lockdown, he led an effort to train secondary school teachers and others to give online classes in sexual and reproductive health, mental health, gender equity, and drug and alcohol abuse prevention. 

To improve pharmaceutical access in Rwanda and beyond, Kabogo cofounded and became managing director of Unitia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., a wholesaler of drugs and medical supplies. As an MPH/MBA student at the Bloomberg School and Carey Business School, he hopes to use his dual degree to bring more and better pharmaceuticals and clinical research to Africa. 

“I believe that everyone should have access to free or affordable lifesaving medication,” he says.