At least 300 people are expected to benefit from free healthcare during a 10-day medical exercise at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (Chuk) under the Rotary Medical Mission starting today.

The healthcare will be conducted by a 17-member team of medics from India, who are in the country under the auspices of the Rotary Club Rwanda.

They will provide services ranging from urology, ophthalmology, orthopedic, plastic, dental, maxillofacial, gynecology and other general surgeries.

Speaking from Kigali International Airport yesterday, Col. Dilip Patnalik, the India Rotary Club president, expressed gratitude to the Rwandan government for giving them opportunity to serve humanity.

Dr Savio Dominique Mugenzi, the head of surgery department at Chuk, said the gesture would help reduce a back-log of patients.

"At times we have a big number of patients waiting for about two to three months for that kind of care, we hope this will reduce the vacuum,” Dr Mugenzi said.