As of January 28, 2024, King Faisal Hospital (KFH) has reported the successful completion of 18 kidney transplant surgeries since the initiation of this service in May 2023.

Alexis Rulisa, the Head of the Community-Based Health Insurance Department at the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), has told The New Times that patients requiring kidney transplants have been able to utilize Mutuelle de Santé at KFH since the program’s inception. Initially, the hospital’s foundation, the ’KFHR Foundation,’ supported the first group of transplant recipients.

Rulisa further stated that moving forward, kidney transplant procedures would be financed through RSSB’s comprehensive insurance coverage, which includes RAMA, MMI, and Mutuelle de Santé, ensuring that the kidney transplant was included in Mutuelle de Santé.

The Ministry of Health, alongside RSSB, has briefed Parliament on the Government’s efforts to broaden the scope of medical services offered through Mutuelle de Santé. The strategy includes not only kidney transplants but also cancer treatments and improved access to transplantation services for people with disabilities, with full implementation expected in 2025.

Louise Kanyonga, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of RSSB, communicated to Parliament the potential financial implications of these enhancements, projecting a shortfall of 17 billion Rwandan Francs over three years without additional funding. To mitigate this, Kanyonga disclosed that RSSB is engaging with the Ministry of Health, banks, and other insurance entities to secure the necessary support to maintain and expand the health insurance program.

Kidney transplant is now more accessible to Rwandans, with expenses being covered through the community based health insurance scheme, Mutuelle de Santé.