Rwanda set to venture into cancer research

Rwanda could soon be one of the first countries in Africa to engage in clinical trials and research for cancer. The project is also likely to target other diagnostic diseases. The good news was revealed by the Ministry of Health during a three-day exploratory visit by Robert Mulroy, the CEO of Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company involved in developing and preparing innovative medicines for the treatment of deadly diseases such as cancer. During his visit, Mulroy was impressed mainly by the cancer centre at Butaro. Meanwhile, a three-day conference in Kigali to boost Kangaroo Mother Care ended last week. Officials said the method is the most effective way to improve survival chances for preterm and low birth weight infants. This came as part of the initiatives to implement the practice in health systems. During the conference, recommendations that call for more research on safety and challenges hindering the roll out of the programme were also made. Health minister Dr Agnes Binagwaho said survival of both the mother and child is very critical. The chairperson Rwanda Paediatric Association, Dr Lisine Tuyisenge, promised to work closely with other associations to curb maternal and child mortality. Medics say preterm birth is the largest and direct cause of neonatal mortality globally, accounting for an estimated 27 per cent of the 4 million neo-natal deaths annually. Sadly in the same week, Rwandans were left in shock after the death of Marcel Kanyankore Rudasigwa, a Rwandan who was in October appointed by UN Secretary General as the key man in the fight against Ebola in Guinea. According to reports, Rudasingwa, 59, died of natural causes in Conakry, Guinea. In just a few months since his appointment, Rudasingwa played a pivotal role in the organization’s and the international community’s response to the Ebola crisis in Guinea. He was one of the three Ebola Crisis Managers under the newly created United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response. Gerald Mbanda, his cousin, said they last heard from him a week ago and he never complained of any illness. And although the postmortem report had by press time not yet been released, medics rule out Ebola because he had not shown any symptoms.