Rwanda Launches Renovated Surgical Hub to Expand Access to Critical Care
Rwanda has opened a newly renovated surgical department at Kibungo Level Two Teaching Hospital, a key step in a national strategy to decentralise surgical services and bring comprehensive care within a two-hour reach for most citizens.
The facility, a product of partnership between the Ministry of Health, the University of Rwanda, and Operation Smile, features upgraded operating theatres, an intensive care unit (ICU), a high-dependency unit (HDU), and dedicated teaching spaces. It operates under a “hub-and-spoke” model, aiming to strengthen district hospitals within a 75-kilometre radius of referral centres.
The launch follows the 2025 Pan-African Surgical Conference in Kigali, which mobilised over 400 stakeholders to improve surgical systems across the continent. Operation Smile, active in Rwanda since 2011, applies its “spoke” model to deliver sustainable cleft and reconstructive surgery closer to communities, emphasising workforce training and infrastructure.
Professor Faustin Ntirenganya, Head of Surgery at the University of Rwanda, highlighted the urgent need. With an estimated five billion people globally lacking access to safe surgery, Rwanda faces a significant gap. The country has approximately 172 surgeons, far below the estimated need for over 1,000. “We are operating at nearly eight times less than what is needed,” he stated.
A major government initiative, the 4×4 programme, aims to quadruple the healthcare workforce within four years to meet WHO benchmarks. Dr. Ntirenganya stressed that increasing personnel must be matched by investment in infrastructure, equipment, and technology. “If you are quadrupling the workforce, you also need theatres, equipment, and investment to match,” he said, noting that surgical disease accounts for up to 30% of health conditions requiring intervention.
The Kibungo facility integrates critical care services into its teaching mission, ensuring patients receive supported recovery after complex procedures. With three major and one minor operating room, it can perform a broader range of surgeries efficiently.
Andrew Karima, Operation Smile Rwanda Country Manager, described the project as a true partnership translating a shared vision into a functional system. “Our approach is comprehensive; we focus on training, infrastructure, equipment, and systems all at once,” he said. He noted similar work is underway in other referral and military hospitals.
Susan Can, Operation Smile’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications, cited Rwanda’s progress as a continental model. “Why we keep coming back to Rwanda is because of how advanced you’ve gone in bringing that care through the hub-and-spoke system,” she said. She emphasised that solutions are built collaboratively, not imported, with Rwanda’s quality and safety standards offering a blueprint for others.
The initiative aligns with Operation Smile’s global “Operation 100” goal to strengthen surgical capacity in 100 district hospitals worldwide. For Can, the partnership—rooted in Rwanda’s Ministry of Health, local professionals, and international volunteers—demonstrates that sustainable change relies on coordinated investment in people, places, and systems.
The Kibungo opening represents more than a facility upgrade; it is a tangible milestone in Rwanda’s long-term effort to build a resilient, inclusive surgical system where quality care is accessible within two hours for all.
