Affordable healthcare is the biggest headache for most countries, especially when they have no universal medical cover in place. Rwanda has always said that its biggest asset is its people, specifically a healthy population. Hence the rollout of the highly successful community health insurance scheme, Mutuelle de Sante. The next frontier in the health arena is accessibility and affordability of drugs and that also seems to be falling in place. Yesterday, a Moroccan A firm, Cooper Pharma, laid the foundation stone to a medical installation that will manufacture commonly prescribed drugs, such as antibiotics and analgesics as well as medical equipment. The entering of Cooper into the Rwandan market is a result of Moroccan King Mohamed VI’s visit a little while back when several investment agreements were signed between the two countries. The new deal comes close at the heels of the revelation that a US-based biotechnology firm, L.E.A.F Pharmaceuticals would be establishing a subsidiary in Rwanda. It specialises in research and development of cancer drugs and said it wanted to make Rwanda the continent’s biotechnology hub. The icing on the cake is that the founder, president and CEO of the company is Rwandan, Clet Niyikiza, who also happens to be on President Kagame’s advisory council. Cooper Pharma said it chose Rwanda as the seat of its regional operations mainly because of its stability and a welcoming investment climate. Rwanda Development Board has been working hard to market the country as an investment destination of choice and the campaign seems to be paying off. The coming of the two firms should open new avenues for our scientific students who had little options to explore. Now the gates have been thrown open and they should make good use.
