The TKMD facility, located in the Mwulire industrial zone in Rwamagana District, aims to meet local demand while also supplying other African nations facing syringe shortages.
Established in partnership with Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization pre-qualified facility employs over 100 peopleâ€"80% of whom are womenâ€"enhancing healthcare quality and access.
Dr Nsanzimana described the factory as a game-changer for Africa, addressing a long-standing challenge of syringe shortages across the continent.
'The issue of syringe shortages was not unique to Rwanda; it was a widespread challenge due to reliance on imports and limited global production capacity. With this factory, that problem is now solvedâ€"not just for Rwanda, but for Africa as a whole,' he stated.
The first batch of syringes produced was immediately purchased by UNICEF for distribution to Ethiopia, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, and other nations.
Currently, TKMD has a production capacity ranging from 600,000 to one million syringes per day, with plans to scale up based on market demand.
The factory had been operational for five months before its official launch, undergoing stringent quality assessments to ensure compliance with international standards.
The Rwamagana industrial zone is designed to accommodate 51 factories. At present, 19 are fully operational, four have been completed and are awaiting permits, while 11 are still under construction.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/rwanda-launches-factory-producing-over-a-million-syringes-daily
