Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente called for a resilient surgical system across Africa, highlighting the urgency of addressing the widespread lack of access to safe and affordable surgical care across the continent.

Ngirente said this on Monday February 24, at the opening of the inaugural Pan-African Surgical Conference taking place in Kigali, where surgeons, policymakers, global health experts gathered to deliberate on ways to address gaps in Africa’s surgical ecosystem.

"We are here to discuss the challenges in surgical care, work for development, and innovate to transform healthcare across the continent,” the Prime Minister told the delegates attending the five-day conference.

"Surgery is not a luxury; it is a pillar of healthcare. Yet 70 per cent of the world's population lacks access to safe, timely, and affordable surgical care,” he said.

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He highlighted the critical role of surgery in achieving universal health coverage.

Ngirente emphasized the importance of making surgical care accessible across Africa, noting that the continent had an insufficient healthcare workforce to deal with its disease burden.

"Africa, home to 12 per cent of the global disease burden, has only 2 per cent of the world’s healthcare workforce,” he said.

"This imbalance costs us lives every day. The Government of Rwanda has long recognized the critical role of surgical care in achieving universal health coverage, and we aim to ensure that the next generation of surgeons is trained in settings that are geographically accessible to the populations that need them most.”

The Prime Minister also underlined the importance of technological innovation, such as telemedicine and minimally invasive surgery, in advancing healthcare. He stressed the need for focused action to ensure surgical services are accessible and that the next generation of surgeons is adequately trained.

"Let us commit to ensuring that our communities have access to affordable surgical services at their nearest healthcare facility,” he added.

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Prof Faustin Ntirenganya, president of the Rwanda Surgical Society, acknowledged the gaps in the country’s surgical capacity, highlighting the strain shortage puts on both the available professionals and the patients seeking their services.

"There is the shortage of surgeons and medical infrastructure. With only 162 surgeons serving a population of 14 million, the country is far from meeting global standards. The reality is that people may wait years for surgeries due to the shortage,” Ntirenganya said.

Despite these challenges, Ntirenganya also highlighted the opportunities available in Rwanda, such as government support and ongoing investment in healthcare infrastructure. He mentioned advancements like the use of drones for blood delivery and the expansion of surgical training programmes.

"The key challenge is the gap in numbers, but the opportunities are immense, especially with the political will and partnerships we have. We still need a holistic approach to improve surgical care and Rwanda is committed to building a resilient and sustainable surgical system to ensure quality care for all,” he stated.

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Kathy Magee, president and CEO of Operation Smile, one of the conference organisers, emphasized the importance of making healthcare accessible to everyone, no matter their location or financial situation.

Magee highlighted the dire need for surgical providers in Africa, noting that by 2030, the continent will require six million more providers to meet demand.

"What keeps me up at night is just one more child, just one more child. This phrase encapsulated the mission of the conference – providing access to surgery for all children. And we can do that through education as the force multiplier in training the next generation of healthcare professionals,” she said.

Magee also advocated for building district hospitals closer to where people live, reducing the financial burden on families.