Rwanda is set to launch its inaugural cardiothoracic surgery fellowship in April in a bid to increase the number of surgeons in the country. Surgeons trained in this field can operate complex heart, chest, lung, and esophagus surgeries. Rwanda has only one Rwandan cardiothoracic surgeon. ALSO READ: Inside Rwanda’s efforts to increase number of surgeons “We're happy to report that we're launching our Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship this year at the University of Rwanda. Others are more internal medicine-related, and oncology which also has a surgical component for surgical oncology that we're also working on,” the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health, Yvan Butera, said. The fellowship will start with two fellows with the possibility to increase the number for the next intake. This new programme, approved by the Higher Education Council, is part of a broader initiative to establish advanced surgical training opportunities in Rwanda. The cardiothoracic surgeons will be trained for three years, in addition to four years of general surgery training. Rwanda currently has 162 surgeons and to meet international standards, the country should have about 1,400. Alongside the cardiothoracic fellowship, other specialized programs, including fellowships in breast surgery and colorectal surgery, will also begin in 2025. These initiatives are designed to strengthen local expertise and reduce the reliance on international medical experts. According to Butera, Rwanda used to send patients abroad for treatment due to the unavailability of surgical services, particularly for complex conditions. “The first was kidney transplantation, of which we have successfully bridged the gap and we have been performing these surgeries locally,” he said. ALSO READ: Access to surgical care should not be luxury, says Ngirente Professor Faustin Ntirenganya, President of the Rwanda Surgical Society told The New Times that Rwanda has only one Rwandan cardiothoracic surgeon and two foreign specialists. The team is complemented by visiting surgeons from other countries.
