King Faisal Hospital, which opened in 1992, is a referral hospital which focuses on offering world-class specialised care. Over the years the hospital has recruited top-quality medical personnel from all over the world and has expanded its services to include open-heart surgery, kidney transplants, brain surgery and more. King Faisal Hospital has earned a stellar reputation not only in Rwanda but throughout the region. In fact, it is the first government-owned hospital in Sub-Saharan Africa outside South Africa to achieve accreditation by the Council of Health Care Accreditation for Southern Africa (COHSASA).
Dr. Emile Rwamasirabo, CEO, is a surgeon and places a high priority on recruiting highly trained medical professionals and on maintaining international standards in all the hospital’s operations. He has ambitious goals for the hospital’s development. He says, “We aim to continue to upgrade and expand our facilities and equipment and to develop permanent centres for cardiac surgery and transplants. We will also establish nuclear medicine through a partnership with the National Atomic Energy Agency, which will position King Faisal Hospital as a regional hub for nuclear medicine.”
Prestigious COHSASA accreditation
The hospital is government-owned but run as a private hospital. To support its future growth, King Faisal Hospital is to be developed as a public-private partnership and it welcomes private investors. “Our COHSASA accreditation inspires confidence in our patients and in potential partners. We want to work with partners to help us mobilise more resources, perform better within the insurance industry, and offer more healthcare products and services,” Dr. Emile Rwamasirabo points out. He adds that the hospital aims to expand its cardiac care by recruiting new surgeons and by adding a new operating theatre for cardiac surgery as well as a new radiology unit.
King Faisal Hospital will continue to focus on specialised surgeries, including orthopaedic and neurosurgery as well as cardiac surgery and transplants. With the support of investors, King Faisal Hospital will also expand its oncology services. The hospital aims to become the medical centre of choice for both local and expatriate patients in Rwanda and in the region.
Dr. Emile Rwamasirabo urges international investors to look into opportunities in Rwanda’s healthcare sector. He says, “The healthcare industry is a virgin market in Africa and in Rwanda in particular. King Faisal Hospital has already earned a reputation as a benchmark in the regional healthcare sector. Now we want to partner with more investors, patients and insurance companies.”
