The ceremony held on Wednesday 29th December 2021, was also attended by the Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Ngamije and other dignitaries from Egypt who partnered with Rwanda for implementation of the project. <\/p>\n
In 2018, the Ministry of Health in partnership with Sir Magdi Habib Yacoub, a former cardiothoracic surgeon in the United Kingdom launched discussions paving the way for establishment of the heart centre in Rwanda.<\/p>\n
Magdi is a renowned Egyptian who founded two heart care centres including Aswan Heart Centre and Magdi Yacoub Heart Centre.<\/p>\n
Discussions with Rwanda led to the establishment of The Heart Care and Research Foundation-Rwanda in 2018. <\/p>\n
After laying the foundation stone, Mrs. Jeannette Kagame thanked partners for their contribution that made possible the exciting milestone to establish the centre in Rwanda. <\/p>\n
\u201cI want to take this opportunity, to warmly thank the Heart Care and Research Foundation, for this ambitious and vital enterprise. I also want to thank Professor Magdi, for the relentless efforts, that started with a journey three years ago, and have led to today\u2019s celebration, despite challenges and unavoidable delays, related to the pandemic,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
Mrs. Jeannette Kagame also expressed her appreciation to the Government and people of the Arab Republic of Egypt for their dedication to this project; particularly the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister Sameh Shoukry for his involvement which evidenced a true sign of the friendship between both countries.<\/p>\n
She underscored that the end of the year is often an opportunity for many to look back at what have been accomplished and determine new resolutions to improve the lives. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo ending the year with the start of a construction project, of the necessity and scale of MY Heart Centre, is truly befitting. It is a perfect bridge into the healthy future we want to embrace as a people; a future where the fatality of Non-Communicable Diseases, such as heart conditions, and unequal access to quality healthcare, are no longer unbeatable threats,\u201d Mrs. Jeannette Kagame said. <\/p>\n
She further highlighted that My Heart Centre “will address heart disease, a health crisis which often kills in silence. The steps we are taking today are opening newer and brighter horizons”.<\/p>\n
My Heart Centre is a cardiovascular care and research facility, which will also serve as a training and research hub for young nurses, doctors and scientists from the region to adhere to international standards.<\/p>\n
It will be constructed in three phases on 4.4 hectares. The first phase is expected to be completed within 18 months at a cost of US$20 million. <\/p>\n
The artistic impression of the heart centre was designed by a firm based in the United Kingdom dubbed Fluxarchitects.<\/p>\n