Fighting violence against women, access to energy: a major step forward with the inauguration of the African Institute for Minimally Invasive Surgery (AMISI) at Panzi Hospital in the DRC by Dr. Mukwege, winner of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize, in the presence of Mr. Francois Hollande.

A reference hospital in the DRC and in Africa for treating women victims of war violence, Panzi Hospital is seeing the completion of a major development in its action, in partnership with St. Peter’s Hospital in Brussels with a new building composed of 5 operating rooms dedicated to minimally invasive surgery, performed by laparoscopy, a particularly effective technique for treating women victims of sexual violence.

The ENGIE Foundation supported the project by financing the energy equipment of the new operating room of the Panzi hospital, which was built by the NGO of ENGIE employees – Energy Assistance.

This operating block is equipped with high-tech material that will allow the Congolese population to benefit from the latest surgical techniques in the DRC.

This new health structure, electrified by solar panels, thanks to the support of the ENGIE Foundation and Energy Assistance, will serve as a framework for the treatment of women victims of sexual violence and other pathologies by minimally invasive surgery. It is also intended for the training of doctors from all over the continent. 1,800 patients in 10 years have already been treated thanks to Dr. Denis Mukwege and Professor Guy Bernard Cadière.

In the presence of many personalities including Jean-Jacques Mbungani, Minister of Health, Albert-Fabrice Puela, Minister of Human Rights, Théo Ngwabije, Governor of South Kivu and Guy Bernard Cadière, Professor of Surgery, the former Head of State of the Republic of France cut the symbolic ribbon of this new infrastructure.

During this inauguration, François Hollande mentioned that this African institute is a reference in the world. The ENGIE Foundation via Energy Assistance is especially proud to have contributed to it.

“This building has the ambition to become a lighthouse that will illuminate scientific research, training and practice in the field of minimally invasive surgery at the level of our country and the continent“, said Denis Mukwege.

The Women’s Reparator praised the support of all those who participated in the realization of this project, including the ENGIE Foundation.