Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) / National Reference Laboratory (NRL)

The Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) operates under the Ministry of Health, RBC’s mission is to provide high-quality, affordable, and sustainable healthcare services by coordinating the prevention, diagnosis, and management of diseases. As of early 2026, the organization is led by Director General Professor Claude Mambo Muvunyi, a renowned expert in clinical microbiology. A critical division of RBC is the National Reference Laboratory (NRL), currently led by Acting Division Manager Misbah Gashegu. The NRL serves as the apex of Rwanda’s diagnostic network, holding the prestigious ISO 15189 accreditation, which ensures that its medical testing meets international standards for quality and competence.

The NRL plays a vital role in national health security by providing specialized diagnostic services for high-priority diseases such as HIV, Tuberculosis, Malaria, and emerging threats like Marburg and COVID-19. It acts as a referral hub for 34 district hospital laboratories and hundreds of health centers, ensuring a standardized and high-quality laboratory network across the country. In alignment with the Health Sector Strategic Plan V (2024–2029) and the One Health Strategic Plan (2021–2026), RBC and the NRL are currently focused on expanding genomic surveillance, enhancing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) monitoring, and modernizing laboratory infrastructure to meet the growing demands of "Kigali Health City."