Sincerely, Bill and Melinda

Bill and Melinda Gates’s annual letter, published yesterday, reflects on 20 years and $53.8 billion spent on efforts to further their core mission: To give every person “the chance to live a healthy and productive life.” Key takeaways from this must-read for the global health :
 
Their mantra: “Swing for the fences.”
 
Try things out and learn from disappointments: When promising daily HIV preventatives didn’t stem the tide of HIV, they refocused their efforts to longer-term strategies.  
 
The last mile is the longest: 86% of the world’s children now receive basic immunizations—but the final 14% will be the toughest to reach.
 
Context is key: Treatments can’t just work—they have to fit into people’s lives.
 
Why philanthropy matters: “At its best, philanthropy takes risks that governments can’t and corporations won’t. Governments need to focus most of their resources on scaling proven solutions.”

Gates Notes