Rwanda Military Hospital to launch first regional oncology facility

Rwanda Defence Force through Rwanda Military Hospital is set to launch a new cancer centre by January 2019 offering specialised treatment to hundreds of patients battling the disease.

Lt Col Pacifique Mugenzi, the director general of the centre said that the facility hosted at Rwanda Military Hospital (RMH) incorporates the latest oncology technology ready to deliver a world-class cancer care service.

“So far we are done with the construction and equipping the facility, I have no doubt by early January 2019 will be operational, today if I receive the patient I can treat him or her,” said Lt Col Mugenzi who also noted that the facility will provide patients and their families with further choice when planning their care and the facility have the capacity to treat 80 patients per day.

“This centre is expected to reduce reliance on international centres and it’s our firm confidence that Rwandans should have access to high cancer care as close to their home as possible,” he added.

For Rwandans the development will eliminate the need to travel abroad for services that will be available in Rwanda for the first time.

According to Lt Col Mugenzi, the radiotherapy center is equipped with Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator, and will open a full remit of radiation therapy techniques and technology with advanced imaging systems.

He also mentioned that with cancer incidence on the rise, the figures indicate the need for additional cancer care services, this new state of the art will provide the people of Rwanda with advanced radiation therapy treatments, the likes of which are absolutely world class.

Radiation therapy services delivered at RMH will be available to Rwandans who use local insurance including mituelle de santé. “It will provide comprehensive treatment to cancer patients. This centre is a great opportunity, it will be a regional centre that will serve people around the region,” he said.

“In Rwanda there are three well-known treatment options for cancer. Namely, chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy, so radiotherapy has been the unavailable option of the three options in Rwanda,” he said.

The radiotherapy centre comes to supplement the existing chemotherapy facility available in Butaro Cancer Centre.