The Research Institute against Digestive Cancer (IRCAD) Africa has launched a long-term partnership with the private sector which is expected to strengthen their support for safe, and innovative health care services. The development was revealed on May 26 at a fundraising gala dinner for IRCAD Africa that took place at Marriott Hotel. The gala was held under the Theme: “Expanding Access to Safe Surgery through Research, Innovation, and Enhancement of Minimally Invasive Surgery in Africa.” Was attended by various people from the private sector, government officials, and universities among others. The president of IRCAD France IRCAD, Professor Jacques Marescaux, took the audience through the history of IRCAD since its creation, where they are today as well as the importance of Artificial intelligence in the health sector and the role of IRCAD in health in general. In addition, Marescaux revealed that the role played by IRCAD in the health sector over 27 years of experience is the reason they expanded it in Africa adding that they believe that IRCAD Africa could be one of the most the center in the world. Speaking on the same occasion, Dr. Daniel Ngamije, the Minister of Health commended the partners for attending the Gala to learn more about IRCAD Africa as an innovation in the training of the medical health workforce. In addition, he said the national strategy for health professionals is to have a qualified, competent, motivated, and equitably distributed health workforce to ensure access to quality health services as part of the effort to reach the universal health coverage goal. “In the past, Rwanda made remarkable achievements in the health sector including the introduction of innovative solutions in the health sector part of that innovation solution includes the introduction of Minimally Invasive Surgery through short-term solutions to increase the productivity of surgeons,” he said Ngamije described IRCAD Africa as a long-term and sustainable solution for the training of surgeons and continued innovation in the surgical sector. Commenting on the reasons to introduce IRCAD Africa as well as the minimally invasive surgery he said that was to help Africans easily access the importance of minimally invasive surgery. “Currently access to surgical care in low and middle-income countries is still extremely limited and this causes a burden on the health care system,” he said. While in high-income countries, it has become standard for many surgical procedures and it offers numerous advantages such as reduced postoperative pain, limited blood loss as well as speed recovery among others. Ngamije, further pointed out that they believe IRCAD Africa will succeed along with strategic partners. Dr. King Kayondo, the chairman of IRCAD Africa, commended all the people who contributed during the fundraising adding that their support will support hundreds of surgeons as well as the open new era of surgeons in the region. The target funds to be raised were at least 500,000$ to be used in six months in two main areas which are research and development and training However, during the gala, the participants exceeded that target where they contributed over 600,000$. Bank of Kigali (BK) was the first partner to contribute a huge amount followed by IHS, Bralirwa, Crystal Ventures, and Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB) among others. IRCAD Africa is the first of its kind on the continent to be open in Rwanda with a commitment to advancing minimally invasive surgeries and will officially open in November.
