IRCAD Africa, a world-class research and training centre poised to train thousands of professionals in minimally invasive surgery, has opened in Kigali, positioning the Rwandan capital as the continent’s future health hub.

The centre of excellence in Kigali’s budding health hub in Masaka, began offering courses on Monday, October 2 and inaugurated on Saturday, October 7^th 2023 by H.E Paul KAGAME

Its management plans to train 500-1000 surgeons every year.

The over $32 million IRCAD Africa facility is part of a partnership of global research and training institute IRCAD France known for its expertise in laparoscopic surgery, which was founded by French surgeon Prof. Jacques Marescaux in 1994.

IRCAD Africa becomes the fifth IRCAD centre in the world and the first fully-fledged medical facility in the 100-hectare Kigali Health City, which will also host Rwanda’s largest hospital, CHUK, a heart treatment centre, medical schools, pharmaceutical centres, and modern laboratories.

Though based in Rwanda, the research and training centre, which uses robot technology in training, will serve the whole continent.

In the next three to five years, the centre could train thousands of professionals annually.

The Rwandan government built the more than $20 million facility while IRCAD France brought in equipment worth more than $12 million.