KFH launches Neurosurgical centre

KIGALI - KING Faisal Hospital (KFH), yesterday, launched a Neurosurgical centre. According to Dr. Emmanuel Nkusi, the coordinator of the centre, a specialised surgical team will be put together to coordinate the centre’s activities. “It has been taking me a minimum of six hours to operate a patient, but it will now take me fewer hours and guaranteed reduction of operation error risks,” Dr Nkusi said. “We shall also be working in teams which will help in exchanging ideas on how best a patient can be operated. This is total stress reduction”. The first of its kind in the region, the centre will improve operation quality; enhance research with a newly opened neurosurgeon library. The centre will also train local neurosurgeons. KFH currently offers neurosurgical services for head, spine trauma and tumour operations, infections of nervous system, and congenital diseases, among others. According to Dr. Nkusi, RNC will also attract specialized neurosurgical doctors in the neighbouring countries like Uganda or Kenya for research. Speaking at the launch, Dr. Richard Sezibera, the Minister of Health, urged doctors to always work as a team in order to enhance effectiveness in the health sector. “This tradition of working alone in various hospitals should be broken. This is a very good initiative you have begun as neurosurgeons, it has been difficult having a doctor move from one hospital to another to carry out operations,” Minister Sezibera said. Sezibera also called upon the private sector to invest in the health sector in order to enhance treatment, care, education and research. He urged medical staff to teach aspiring medical students in order to have more skilled specialized personnel.The new centre aims at being the lead in offering neurosurgical care, training and research in Africa. Mutara Enterprises, OCIR coffee, Duke University, Harvard University and Foundation for International Education in Neurosurgical Surgery are among the organisations that sponsored the centre. Ends