President Paul Kagame on Tuesday, October 17, met with Dr Jean Kaseya, the Director General of Africa CDC, the continental health agency which builds capacity to ensure effective response to diseases.

The two leaders discussed efforts to strengthen public health in Africa, particularly domestic health financing, vaccine manufacturing, and digital health, according to the Office of the President.

Dr Kaseya was in Kigali for the Africa HealthTech Summit, taking place as part of the Mobile World Congress.

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Rwanda has been making strides in strengthening its health sector, by tapping into vaccine manufacturing, including mRNA vaccines for Covid-19, among other diseases.

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Earlier in October, President Kagame inaugurated IRCAD Africa, a high-tech centre for research and training in minimally invasive surgery.

The centre built in Kigali’s burgeoning 100-hectare medical city will also host Rwanda’s largest hospital, CHUK, a heart treatment centre, medical schools, pharmaceutical centres, and modern laboratories, among other key facilities.

With the establishment of key health infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and vaccine manufacturing projects coupled with digital transformation, the country wants to position itself as Africa’s medical hub.