Rwanda’s Health Minister meets with BGI Genomics to discuss collaboration

RWANDA—Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, Rwanda’s Minister of Health, and Samuel Abikunda, Commercial Counsellor of the Rwanda Embassy in China, led a high-level mission to BGI Genomics to promote public health collaborations.

The September 8, 2024 visit aimed to investigate new potential in healthcare development, with a focus on Rwanda and BGI Genomics’ developing cooperation.

The delegation was warmly welcomed by BGI Genomics’ top leadership, which included Dr. Yin Ye, Chief Executive Officer of BGI Group, Dr. Du Yutao, Chief Operating Officer of BGI Genomics, Li Ning, Deputy General Manager of BGI Genomics, Xiong Tao, Vice President of Global Development for BGI Group, and Chen Songheng, General Manager for Africa at BGI Genomics.

Rwandan officials praised BGI Genomics’ major contributions to scientific research and industrial development, stressing its potential to improve Rwanda’s healthcare infrastructure.

The visit’s discussions centred on how BGI Genomics’ knowledge may be leveraged to improve Rwanda’s healthcare system.

Dr. Nsanzimana expressed his gratitude for the company’s assistance, particularly with the ongoing cervical cancer screening program.

 This initiative, launched in April 2024 as a collaboration between BGI Genomics and the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), will provide 20,000 HPV DNA tests to women in Ngoma District, Eastern Province.

The initiative intends to increase the country’s cervical cancer prevention and control efforts, as well as create a comprehensive system that includes screening and intervention.

Dr Nsanzimana emphasised the necessity of ongoing partnership and urged BGI Genomics to increase its contributions to Rwanda’s public health initiatives.

He emphasised the importance of long-term collaborations to strengthen the country’s healthcare system, notably in cancer screening, reproductive health, and disease prevention.

Dr. Du Yutao reiterated these comments, emphasising that BGI Genomics’ engagement with Rwanda is not limited to a particular project. Instead, it reflects a broader commitment to assisting Rwanda’s healthcare system and promoting precision medicine.

He discussed intentions to implement cutting-edge genetic testing technologies in reproductive health, cancer screening, and infectious illness prevention to enhance Rwandan health outcomes.

This visit also corresponded with the objectives of the recent Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit, which emphasised health and well-being as important topics.

The collaboration between BGI Genomics and Rwanda exemplifies the FOCAC framework’s emphasis on cooperation, laying the groundwork for future collaborative efforts.

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