Dear colleagues, friends, partners,

As we embark on Phase 2 of the REACH Network – a journey I am honoured and proud to co-lead alongside partners across Africa and beyond – our shared mission is clear: to save children's lives, strengthen health systems, and ensure equitable health access for communities who need it most.

When we started out on the REACH journey, we asked ourselves a critical question: how can we ensure that no child dies from preventable causes in places where health services struggle to reach? Our answer was rooted in collaboration and innovation – using simple yet powerful interventions like mass administration of azithromycin to tackle child mortality.

Phase 1 taught us a lot. We reached over a million children, built evidence on reducing mortality, and fostered powerful partnerships that bridged research, policy, and action.

It also taught us one fundamental lesson: we cannot succeed alone.

As we move into Phase 2, the need for global collaboration and unity in health has never been clearer. We face challenges that transcend borders – antimicrobial resistance, supply chain disruption, impacts resulting from a changing climate, and resource constraints. Yet, the power of collaboration has the potential to transform these challenges into opportunities for action.