Rwanda launches construction of new veterinary lab to end dependence on overseas sample testing

RWANDA—Rwanda has broken ground on its National Veterinary Reference Laboratory, a high-security biosafety level three (BSL-3) facility designed to detect and respond to animal diseases that can spread to humans.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place on 18 November at the Rubirizi research station in Kigali, marking a significant milestone in the country’s pandemic preparedness efforts.

BSL-3 laboratories handle infectious agents or toxins that may transmit through the air and potentially cause lethal infections.

This new facility will replace the existing laboratory, which Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe noted has served for nearly four decades and no longer meets current needs.

The laboratory construction, excluding equipment, will cost USD3 million (about RWF 4.1 billion).

Rwanda secured this project through a USD24.9 million (about RWF 34.1 billion) grant from the Pandemic Fund as part of the Strengthening Pandemic Prevention and Response through the One Health Approach in Rwanda (SPPROHRW) project.

The Pandemic Fund, established in 2022 through the World Bank, responded swiftly to the 2024 mpox outbreak that originated in the Democratic Republic of Congo and spread across international borders.

After the World Health Organization declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, the Fund fast-tracked US128.9 million (about RWF 176.6 billion) to 10 affected countries, including Rwanda.

Minister Bagabe emphasized that the laboratory will strengthen Rwanda’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to disease threats before they spread.

He highlighted the particular importance of monitoring diseases that pass between animals and humans, which pose serious risks to both public health and the national economy.

Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana, who co-chairs the Pandemic Fund Board, explained that past crises including Covid-19, mpox, and Marburg revealed critical gaps in Rwanda’s surveillance system.

Previously, the country sent samples abroad for testing, which proved both costly and time-consuming. These delays potentially allowed diseases to spread while awaiting results.

Priya Basu, Executive Head of the Pandemic Fund at the World Bank, noted that Rwanda’s pursuit of ISO 17025 accreditation will position the laboratory as a trusted regional resource for cross-border disease surveillance.

The facility will focus on surveillance, laboratory systems, and workforce development while addressing antimicrobial resistance.

The project adopts the One Health approach, which recognizes the interconnection between human, animal, and environmental health.

Rwanda’s successful management of recent health emergencies, including achieving the world’s lowest case fatality rate during the September 2024 Marburg outbreak, demonstrates its commitment to global health security.