Team from UC Davis Health participates in Rwanda Endoscopy Week

For the third year, faculty from the Division of Gastroenterology led a multidisciplinary team from UC Davis Health to Rwanda this fall to participate in the annual Rwanda Endoscopy Week (REW).

Nine UC Davis staff and trainees joined the week-long initiative to provide advanced gastroenterology care, train local providers, and launch new collaborative research efforts.

The team included gastroenterologists Michael Lawson, Kuldeep Tagore and Alex Zhornitskiy; medical trainees Bryle Barrameda, Nicole Bernstein, Aida Nasirishargh, Joseph Toth, and Felicia Zhornitsky; and nurse Arlina Aviles. The UC Davis team joined a larger multinational cohort of more than 50 participants, organized by the nonprofit GI Rising, to collaborate on delivering clinical care and education aimed at expanding access to gastroenterological services nationwide.

During the trip, teams performed more than 1,100 endoscopic procedures at seven clinical sites throughout Rwanda, delivering high-quality care to patients who otherwise have limited access to specialty services. The visits also included hands-on and didactic training for Rwandan nurses, general practitioners, residents, and gastroenterology fellows, bolstering local capacity for sustainable care delivery.

In addition to clinical work, thanks to funding from the UC Davis Global Health Seed Grant awarded to UC Davis GI faculty Alex Zhornitskiy and his UCLA co-collaborator Sean Nguyen, the team conducted the first nationwide study of Helicobacter pylori infection in Rwanda.

“The study is a significant step toward understanding the prevalence and clinical impact of this common gastrointestinal pathogen in the country,” Alex Zhornitskiy said.

The UC Davis Center for Global Health played an instrumental role in preparing and supporting the delegation. This year's UC Davis REW cohort was the first group to complete the new UC Davis pre-departure global health curriculum created by the Center for Global Health leadership Christine McBeth and Shakira Bandolin. The program is designed to enhance cultural humility, ethical engagement, and safety during international clinical work.

“This trip is truly a testament to team collaboration, with every participant playing a critical role,” Aviles said. “More than anything, I am appreciative of the interdisciplinary work as well as the educational exchange that came from working alongside our Rwandan colleagues.”