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A delegation from Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health has visited IRCAD Africa at Kigali Health City to explore potential partnerships to strengthen advanced surgical training and specialised healthcare services.
The delegation was led by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer (Clinical Services), Dr Mustapha Sundifu Kabba, alongside the Director of Hospitals and Ambulance Services, Mr Ibrahim Foday-Musa. Other members included the National Coordinator for the National Emergency Medical Services (NEMS), Dr Songor Koedoyoma, DHAS Consultant Dr Mariama Mustapha, and two senior officials from the Directorate of Hospitals and Ambulance Services.
The visit formed part of ongoing strategic engagements in Kigali focused on improving surgical capacity through collaboration with international centres of excellence.
IRCAD Africa (Institut de Recherche contre les Cancers de l’Appareil Digestif Africa) is a leading institution in minimally invasive surgery and medical research. The original IRCAD was established in Strasbourg, France, in 1994 by Professor Jacques Marescaux and has since expanded globally, with centres in Taiwan, Brazil, Lebanon and Rwanda. IRCAD Africa was officially launched in Kigali on 7 October 2023 as the first dedicated African hub for advanced minimally invasive surgical training.
Welcoming the delegation, IRCAD Africa’s Marketing and Communications Manager, Ms Gloria Padua, conveyed greetings from the institute’s leadership and guided the team through the training halls and simulation laboratories. She noted that since its establishment, the centre has trained over 800 surgeons from more than 40 countries. She also highlighted IRCAD Africa’s role within Rwanda’s Kigali Health City initiative, which aims to promote high-level medical training and reduce reliance on overseas surgical education.
The centre offers specialised programmes in laparoscopic general surgery, paediatric laparoscopic surgery, neurosurgical skull base approaches, minimally invasive spine surgery, urology, gynaecology, colorectal and hernia surgery, paediatric surgical techniques, endoscopy, robotic-assisted surgery, image-guided procedures, and operating room nursing.
According to officials, the engagement is intended to support exchange learning and advanced skills development, particularly in minimally invasive surgery, as part of broader efforts to improve surgical care delivery in Sierra Leone.
