KICUKIRO - Rwanda is set to launch the first radiotherapy cancer treatment facility.

This comes after parliament’s ratification of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) treaty, last week.

The Director of Kanombe Military Hospital, Dr Ben Karenzi said that Rwanda would benefit from the IAEA treaty through training of oncologists and radiation therapists.

The facility is expected to be set up at Kanombe Military Hospital in Kicukiro District.

"For any country to have a radiotherapy facility, they need approval from the IAEA which we now have,” Karenzi said.

"The construction of the radiotherapy unit costs between USD2-3 million but with the IAEA ratification, we shall have it in place,” he added.

Dr Karenzi further mentioned that the hospital would soon send doctors on a one- year course to train as oncologists and radiation therapists to run the facility after its set up.

He added that this would reduce costs the government and individuals have been incurring by seeking treatment abroad.

"Once we start this facility, there will be no more cancer referrals abroad , which has been very costly for Government and private patients,” Karenzi said.

He also confirmed that the hospital so far has one Oncologist nurse who has just completed her Masters degree. She will be working at the Radiotherapy Unit.

Karenzi noted that radiotherapy treatment complements chemotherapy, emphasising that administering both types of treatment is pivotal.

He said that Rwanda would probably take the lead in radiation and radio therapy within the region.

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