Rwanda can become a medical services hub

Editor, RE: “Brand Rwanda top of 2016 Leadership Retreat agenda” (The New Times, March 9)

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Editor,

RE: "Brand Rwanda top of 2016 Leadership Retreat agenda” (The New Times, March 9)

This is good and will ensure we see more action than words from our leaders. It’s very encouraging.

Despite gains made in the health sector, there is still a very long way to go and I see many opportunities of Rwanda turning into the hub of health services in East Africa.

Hoards of East Africans are often-times seen queuing at major airports for a flight to India for even a minor surgery.

These are services we can have here and save people from making this costly distance.

In fact, these days it is like Apollo Hospital in India was built for East Africa; you see our political leaders and the corporate class are the major users of these facilities in India.

Could we try to establish hospitals that offer similar services to the entire region to cut the distance made to India?

Looking at cost management, why should people travel all the way to India if Apollo can actually be approached to open its fully-fledged branch here in Rwanda?

I believe there are a number of factors we can leverage like security, lack of bureaucracy, low levels of corruption, among others, to ensure we attract such investments.

We hope to hear this in the upcoming retreat.

Yulian