The two specialists were among 4,953 students who graduated from the University of Rwanda (UR) during its 12th graduation ceremony held at the Rukara campus in Kayonza District on Friday, October 23, 2026.
According to the Ministry of Health, the surgeons have performed 114 kidney transplants at King Faisal Hospital since 2023 under the mentorship of Prof Jeffrey David Punch of the University of Michigan.
The graduation also included 120 doctors, 497 nurses and midwives, and 78 specialists and subspecialists in fields such as neurosurgery, orthopaedic surgery, anatomical pathology and medical oncology.
The ministry described their graduation as a milestone in building domestic capacity for specialised medical services, helping expand access to complex procedures within the country.
Their achievement comes amid efforts to increase the number of trained health professionals under the 4×4 Health Workforce Development Reform, launched in July 2023. The initiative aims to quadruple the health workforce within four years while strengthening training quality and expanding specialised care.
“Our 4×4 reform is working. Congratulations to all!” the Ministry of Health said.
In a statement issued earlier this year, the Ministry of Health reported that residency programmes had increased from 17 to 24, while fellowship programmes had expanded from eight to 25 subspecialties.
The ministry said average annual enrolment in health training programmes between 2023 and 2025 was 3.3 times higher than historical levels, with more than 16,360 students enrolled across health programmes by December 2025.
Speaking at the Friday graduation ceremony, Education Minister Joseph Nsengimana urged graduates to apply their skills to practical challenges and create opportunities rather than focus solely on finding jobs.
“Do not just wait for opportunities. Use your knowledge and creativity to create them,” he said.
The University of Rwanda’s 12th graduation ceremony also included 49 PhD holders and 1,086 master’s degree graduates.
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