RWANDA — President Paul Kagame has officially opened IRCAD Africa, a cutting-edge research and training center in Rwanda aimed at shaping the future of healthcare professionals specializing in minimally invasive surgery.
Accompanied by First Lady Jeannette Kagame and Professor Jacques Marescaux, the founder of IRCAD France, President Kagame emphasized the center’s pivotal role in elevating African talent to new heights.
Located in Masaka, Rwanda’s burgeoning ‘health city,’ IRCAD Africa is poised to make a profound impact on healthcare in the region.
“It has benefited Rwandans probably in a way you will never realize. Marescaux and others who work with you at IRCAD International and those who join you because they understand the cause and the vision you have, but more so the vision to use the tools to advance knowledge, technology and bring it to places where it is not expected,” Kagame said, acknowledging the center’s significance.
President Kagame expressed his gratitude to Professor Marescaux for taking the risk associated with investing in Africa, highlighting the immense rewards it promises.
Kagame assured Marescaux that Rwanda would not disappoint as the gateway to Africa, both on a personal level and in terms of positively impacting lives through improved access to healthcare.
The President emphasized that the introduction of minimally invasive surgery in Africa will significantly enhance the quality of life for many.
IRCAD Africa, committed to serving not only Rwanda but the entire continent, plans to train 500-1000 surgeons annually in minimally invasive surgery.
This modern medical technology minimizes patient pain and trauma, reduces hospital stays, lowers the risk of complications, and accelerates recovery.
Employing artificial intelligence in research and training, IRCAD Africa will equip the next generation of surgeons in various specialties, including general surgery, urology, gynecology, ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, and orthopedics.
Professor Marescaux lauded President Kagame’s visionary leadership as the driving force behind IRCAD Africa’s realization.
He acknowledged Kagame’s status as one of Africa’s most distinguished leaders and commended his role in making this project possible. Marescaux went on to describe Kagame as “a providential man.”
IRCAD Africa, with an estimated value exceeding US$32 million, boasts state-of-the-art simulation technology, featuring virtual reality and augmented reality platforms that enable surgeons to hone their skills in a secure and controlled environment.
The facility also houses a fully equipped operating wet lab, complete with advanced surgical equipment, offering hands-on training in authentic surgical scenarios.
This milestone establishment is a partnership between the global research and training institute, IRCAD France, renowned for its expertise in laparoscopic surgery.
IRCAD Africa marks the fifth IRCAD center globally and the first fully-fledged medical facility within the 100-hectare Kigali Health City, set to host Rwanda’s largest hospital, CHUK, a heart treatment center, medical schools, pharmaceutical centers, and cutting-edge laboratories.
Several African countries are in discussions with the Rwandan government and IRCAD Africa to send their medical professionals for training at the center.
While the Rwandan government invested over US$20 million in constructing the facility, IRCAD France contributed equipment worth more than US$12 million.
Located in Masaka in the Kicukiro District, IRCAD Africa is poised to revolutionize healthcare education and practice, not only in Rwanda but across the African continent.
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