Rwanda’s First Lady Just Broke Grounds For A 20 Million Dollar Heart Surgery Center In Kigali

Construction of a new heart center in Masaka, Kicukiro district has begun.

The $ 20 million facility, whose construction was launched on December 29, will be built in three phases and is expected to be completed within the next three years.

The construction was marked by was initiated by a foundation stone laying ceremony by the First Lady, Mrs. Jeannette Kagame.

First Lady Jeannette Kagame makes remarks during the event to lay the foundation stone for the MY Heart Center in Masaka on Wednesday, December 29th. Photo by Olivier Mugwiza

The center, named “MY Heart Center”, will be built in collaboration with the Heart Care and Research Foundation-Rwanda (HCRF-R) and the Ministry of Health, it will include a research wing, clinics, operating rooms, radiology rooms, laboratories, pharmacies, accommodation and a administration block, with a bed capacity of 1,000 people.

The center will be for cardiovascular care and will be able to offer simple and more complex surgeries from the beginning that include angioplasty for problems such as hypertension, chest pain and more.

While officiating, the first lady said: “MIT Heart Center wants to address heart disease – a health crisis that often kills in silence”

She added that the center will reproduce the vision of a cardiovascular care and research facility on solid ground.

“We can really reduce premature mortality due to heart disease, and we are committed to doing so … I am convinced that in many years, the impact of our respective governments, philanthropic institutions and committed individuals will unite for this equal access to health care solution will be felt throughout the region, “Ms Kagame added.

According to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), 14 percent of Rwandans die from cardiovascular disease, and among children, more than 1,000 children have congenital heart disease and arthritis heart disease and must undergo surgery annually.

Boot for medical tourism

According to the Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Ngamije, the center will improve the country’s capacity to deal with complex heart disease, not only for Rwandans, but for patients coming from the region and Africa.

“This is one of the most important testimonies of access to quality health care for our people and to ensure that no one is left behind,” he said.

Recent statistics show that at least $ 6 billion is spent on medical tourism by Africans seeking treatment outside the continent, mainly in Asian countries like India.