President Paul Kagame, on Monday, July 22, officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony for expansion works that will see King Faisal Hospital (KFH) raise its capacity from 157 to almost 600 beds.

The hospital, one of the largest in Rwanda, is set to undergo major expansion works aimed not only at increasing its bed capacity but also bringing on board new surgical and medical subspecialties.

Under the project, the hospital will upgrade its oncology department, introduce additional critical care and accident and emergency services, as well as bring on board expanded cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, and orthopaedic surgery services.

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Speaking at the launch, Kagame talked about the importance of having facilities that will provide top quality healthcare to Rwandans so that people do not always have to travel to seek it from abroad.

"You send people to go and train outside, they come back, but you keep sending patients outside to be treated. It does not add up,” he said.

"It is in that context that we attach so much importance to these kinds of investments in us by friends, and by partners and we want to translate that to the level of that meaning I was talking about. That takes commitment as well as continued presence and practice of the things that are needed,” he added.

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Amine Tannouri, the CEO of Shelter Group Africa, a company partnering with Rwanda in the expansion of the hospital, said the facility will offer luxurious architecture and ergonomic design reminiscent of a five-star hotel.

Health minister Dr Sabin Nsanzimana said the expansion will not only bring on board health services but also training for professionals, with the first cohort expected to start this year in specialties including anaesthesiology, intensive care, and radiology.