KIGALI, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Three complicated cases of hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgery have been successfully conducted in Rwanda, the first time such surgery was performed in the East African country, medical authorities said Thursday.
A team led by Professor Jean Marc Regimbeau from France conducted the surgery earlier this week at the Rwanda Military Hospital in the capital city Kigali, according to a statement issued by the Rwandan Ministry of Defense.
"It was the first time we conducted hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery in Rwanda. Patients who needed such healthcare were previously referred abroad at a huge cost," Col. Eugene Ngoga, a medic speaking on behalf of the Rwanda Military Hospital, was quoted as saying in the statement.
Local medics working with the visiting team are also learning from the experience and expertise of their colleagues from France and Cameroon, he said.
Ngoga said providing hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery services locally in Rwanda eases access to specialized medical services and saves money for patients. Such healthcare could cost up to 100 million Rwandan francs (about 90,165 U.S. dollars) outside Rwanda. ■