Egypt and Rwanda are expanding their healthcare partnership through the construction of the Magdi Yacoub Rwanda-Egypt Heart Center in Kigali, a project aimed at improving access to specialized cardiac care and strengthening medical capacity across East and Central Africa.
The state-of-the-art facility, being developed by Orascom Construction in partnership with the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Foundation, is expected to become one of the region’s leading cardiac hospitals, offering advanced diagnosis and treatment, training healthcare professionals and supporting cardiovascular research.
Construction has reached a major milestone, with the structural framework of the complex completed, façade works nearing completion and mechanical, electrical and interior fit-out works progressing. The first phase of the center is expected to begin operations in the first quarter of 2027.
Once operational, the hospital will provide free life-saving heart procedures each year for underprivileged patients from across Africa, helping expand access to advanced cardiac treatment while reducing the need for patients to travel abroad for specialized care.
The project reflects growing cooperation between Cairo and Kigali and forms part of broader efforts to strengthen healthcare systems and expand access to specialized medical services across the continent.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally, accounting for an estimated 17.9 million deaths each year. In Africa, access to specialized cardiac diagnosis, surgery and long-term treatment remains uneven, with many countries facing shortages of specialized facilities and trained healthcare professionals.
The Kigali center is intended to help address those gaps by serving as a regional referral hospital for East and Central Africa, combining clinical care with physician training, medical education and scientific research.
Named after renowned Egyptian-British cardiac surgeon Sir Magdi Yacoub, the project builds on the foundation’s long-standing efforts to expand access to free heart care and develop local medical expertise across Africa.
The Kigali facility also follows the completion of construction work on the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Center, which is currently undergoing testing and commissioning, further expanding the foundation’s network of specialized cardiac institutions.
The project adds to a growing number of Egypt-backed development initiatives across Africa, reflecting Cairo’s focus on strengthening partnerships in healthcare, infrastructure and human capacity development as part of its broader engagement with the continent.
