Bridging the Care Gap: Dr. Janvier Murayire Leads Initiative to Enhance Rheumatology Services in Rwanda

Dr. Janvier Murayire, a prominent Rheumatologist and Internal Medicine Physician, serves as the Chair of Internal Medicine at the African Health Science University (AHSU) and heads the Department of Internal Medicine at King Faisal Hospital in Rwanda. In a groundbreaking collaboration with Pfizer’s Accord for a Healthier World, Dr. Murayire is on a mission to provide essential care to patients with rheumatic diseases in Rwanda, an initiative that holds the promise of expansion across the African continent.

The stark reality is that Africa is home to just 2,970 rheumatologists serving a staggering population of 1.2 billion people.

Until recently, Dr. Murayire was the only rheumatologist in Rwanda, a situation fueled by a lack of formal training programs, competing health priorities, and limited access to necessary treatments.

With critical support and resources from the Accord, which includes ongoing medical education, Dr. Murayire has spearheaded training initiatives for healthcare providers in both rural and urban settings. These efforts aim to enhance the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic diseases—conditions characterized by joint inflammation and severe pain that significantly impact patients’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being, often disrupting their daily lives.

The results of this collaboration have been remarkable:

• Over 10 physician specialists have been trained and are now successfully running functional rheumatology units in their respective institutions nationwide.
• Approximately 2,500 patients have benefited from enhanced access to rheumatological care that was previously unavailable to them.

Through the Accord, Pfizer is committed to providing its portfolio of medicines and vaccines on a not-for-profit basis to eligible countries, including those needed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, for these medicines and vaccines to reach those in need, systemic challenges must be addressed—chief among them, the necessity for more trained healthcare professionals. This is why the Accord is collaborating with global health leaders like Dr. Murayire to advance health workforce education and development.

This initiative embodies hope for millions across Africa who currently lack access to rheumatology care.