KIGALI, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda has successfully performed 44 kidney transplants since launching its domestic program in 2023, a senior official has said.

Minister of State for Health Yvan Butera briefed members of the Rwandan Parliament on Thursday in the national capital of Kigali, highlighting progress in expanding healthcare services, including the increase in kidney transplants and heart surgeries performed within the country.

"We have so far performed kidney transplants for 44 Rwandans since the inception of the program," Butera said.

The initiative aligns with the government's efforts to reduce the number of patients seeking treatment abroad, thereby lowering costs for families, he said.

The domestic kidney transplant program was launched in 2023, while the heart surgery program was introduced in 2022.

Butera said these medical advancements complement the recent expansion of healthcare services covered by Rwanda's community-based health insurance, commonly known as Mutuelle de Sante, which enables the majority of Rwandans to access insured medical treatment.

According to Butera, the Ministry of Health has added kidney transplantation, heart surgery and cancer treatment to the list of services covered under Rwanda's community-based health insurance package.

Butera also revealed that 541 heart surgeries have been conducted in Rwanda since the program's launch in 2022.

According to the Ministry of Health, Rwanda's community-based health insurance now covers 83.5 percent of the population. Enditem

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