IGIHE

Author: Théophile Niyitegeka

  • Rwanda Military Hospital acquires the latest CT scan machine

    {Rwanda Military Hospital (RMH) has recently acquired the GE Optima CT660. 128 slice CT which is the latest trending model on the world market.}

    This optimum CT scanner system offers a quick and ultimate solution to medical problems. The GE 128slice is a scanner which helps to minimize radiation dose while delivering best diagnostic image quality, Helps to deliver highly diagnostic and personalized images in under 10seconds and allows the hospital to scan young and old clients, both large and small and still get the best results.

    RMH is a referral hospital that provides health care services to both military and civilians. According to Ms Yvonne Keeza, Radiology specialist at RMH; this machine comes at a time it is needed to meet the current demand of the international level clinical diagnosis.

    This CT scan comes also as the best diagnostic tool to RMH ‘s world-renowned outreach services (known as Army week), which will allow its medical personnel to offer a comprehensive medical services to the population of Rwanda including the low-income patients who cannot otherwise afford those diagnostic procedures available in the current market.

    RMH CT scanning procedure costs (tariff) were set by the Ministry of Health and become the lowest cost available in the country for a trending model.

  • Rwanda to avail safe water to all households by 2020

    {The State Minister for Energy and Water in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Kamayirese has Germaine said the new water policy will see call households access safe water and sanitation services by 2020 as outlined in the government’s program. }

    She unveiled this week during at the launch of government’s policies regarding water, hygiene and sanitation as part of celebrating World Water Day.

    Kamayirese explained that every Rwandan should have water facility at his/her home.

    “The new water policy was enacted to match with government’s broad targets to enable citizens’ access to water sustainably at their households. We have not yet availed water in all regions but those in locations with water facilities can at least have them at homes,” she said.

    Kamayirese explained that they target to achieve the target by 2020 in collaboration with concerned government’s bodies.

    The new policy also targets to build solid waste management points especially in cities and organize means of recycling waste into other items generating income for the country and citizens in general.

    UNICEF representative in Rwanda,Ted Maly lauded Rwanda’s efforts in implementing water-sanitation and hygiene programs.

    “ I am delighted for Rwanda’s recognition on the role of water, hygiene and sanitation. The policies launched today are a crucial testimony of the government’s willingness to take services to its people,” she said.

    The water, hygiene and sanitation policies were approved by parliamentarians at the end of 2016.

    85% of Rwandans are reported to have access to safe water while 83% access hygiene and sanitation activities.

    People fetch water from a public tap in Bitoma I village. The water supply system was built with the support of Japan International Cooperation Agency. Photo The New Times.

  • Rwanda to deploy sixth peacekeeping Police contingent

    {Rwanda National Police (RNP) is set to increase its participation in United Nations peacekeeping missions when they deploy the sixth Formed Police Unit (FPU) to serve under the UN Mission in South Sudan early next month.}

    According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) William Kayitare, the Commissioner for Peace Support Operations in RNP, equipment for the new contingent of 160 officers, have already arrived in Juba where they will be stationed.

    The advance party will depart this Friday.

    The new force joins another hybrid FPU contingent of 240, and 29 police advisors, currently serving under UNMISS.

    Meanwhile, the other FPU contingents include three currently deployed in Central African Republic (CAR), and one in Haiti, each composed of 140 officers.

    “The mandate of the FPU contingent will be protecting civilians from eminent threats, public order management, protection of UN key installations and personnel, and humanitarian assistance,” said ACP Kayitare.

    Once the contingent is deployed, it will bring the number of Rwandan police peacekeepers in all missions to about 1200 personnel.

    “The continued participation and increase in peacekeepers in number is proof of how the United Nations has much trust in Rwandan peacekeepers, and Rwanda’s commitment to international peace,” said ACP Kayitare.

    “Our servicemen are guided by professionalism, commitment and discipline. They have gone beyond just the mandate to even help people in the countries where they are deployed to acquire a better life,” he said.

    ACP Kayitare gave an example of RNP’s peacekeepers serving under United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), who were highly affected by hurricane Mathew in November last year, but put forward the life of the affected citizens and “worked selflessly” to help them get back on their feet.

    “When hurricane Mathew hit Haiti, our peacekeepers’ base was equally affected but before they could rebuild their base, they prioritized helping the people, created pathways for humanitarian aid, and helped in reconstruction of the affected infrastructures,” he said.

    Rwanda is currently among the leading contributors of women Police officers in peacekeeping missions, and is among the few countries that have elaborated the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 action plan.

    The resolution urges all actors to increase the participation of women in conflict resolution, peacekeeping and incorporate gender perspectives in all UN peace and security efforts.

    Former RNP peacekeeper, Antoinette Umuraza was in October 2015 appointed the chairperson of the United Nations Police (UNPOL) Women Network under the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).

    Another female officer, Sergeant Felicite Mujawamariya was in 2015 also recognized by UN for her exceptional performance describing her as “articulate in her duties” as the coordinator of gender related projects in UNAMID, while also being “exceptional in preparing community policing initiatives.”

    Source:Police

  • Spiritual retreats change feel-good chemical systems in the brain

    {More Americans than ever are turning to spiritual, meditative and religious retreats as a way to reset their daily life and enhance wellbeing. Now, researchers at The Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at Thomas Jefferson University show there are changes in the dopamine and serotonin systems in the brains of retreat participants. The team published their results in Religion, Brain & Behavior.}

    “Since serotonin and dopamine are part of the reward and emotional systems of the brain, it helps us understand why these practices result in powerful, positive emotional experiences,” said Andrew Newberg, M.D., Director of Research in the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health. “Our study showed significant changes in dopamine and serotonin transporters after the seven-day retreat, which could help prime participants for the spiritual experiences that they reported.”

    The post-retreat scans revealed decreases in dopamine transporter (5-8 percent) and serotonin transporter (6.5 percent) binding, which could make more of the neurotransmitters available to the brain. This is associated with positive emotions and spiritual feelings. In particular, dopamine is responsible for mediating cognition, emotion and movement, while serotonin is involved in emotional regulation and mood.

    The study, funded by the Fetzer Institute, included 14 Christian participants ranging in age from 24 to 76. They attended an Ignatian retreat based on the spiritual exercises developed by St. Ignatius Loyola who founded the Jesuits. Following a morning mass, participants spent most of the day in silent contemplation, prayer and reflection and attended a daily meeting with a spiritual director for guidance and insights. After returning, study subjects also completed a number of surveys which showed marked improvements in their perceived physical health, tension and fatigue. They also reported increased feelings of self-transcendence which correlated to the change in dopamine binding.

    “In some ways, our study raises more questions than it answers,” said Dr. Newberg. “Our team is curious about which aspects of the retreat caused the changes in the neurotransmitter systems and if different retreats would produce different results. Hopefully, future studies can answer these questions.”

    Source:Science Daily

  • City mayor roots for concerted efforts for sustainable security

    {The Mayor of the City of Kigali, Pascal Nyamurinda has said that inclusiveness between security institutions, private security firms and the people builds a strong bond in the face of emerging threats to development.}

    Mayor Pascal Nyamurinda made the remarks yesterday will meeting managers of security companies, owners of commercial facilities, and heads of security in hotels, financial institutions and big buildings in Kigali.

    The meeting held at the City Hall was also attended by the Commissioner for Counter-terrorism in Rwanda National Police (RNP), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Denis Basabose and ACP Rogers Rutikanga, the Central Region Police Commander (RPC).

    It aimed at streamlining and implementing security related strategies and plans in order to secure public places from any threats.

    It also discussed challenges and best practices between public and private security providers in order to curtail all security threats including international terrorism.

    The mayor said that public safety is a “chain that must not be broken but strengthened by all stakeholders.”

    He asked them to always take precautionary measures such as inspection, supervise security guards and acquire appropriate security tools.

    ACP Basabose also urged them to have an integrated security system on all public buildings, which is an all-round model that will counter or minimize any security threats.

    ACP Basabose challenged security managers from private security companies to continuously improve and be innovative to always be ahead of potential rogue elements who may have ill motives of causing insecurity.

    He asked security managers to regularly make physical security assessments of their premises and where possible seek support from experts including the police.

    “All public buildings need to obtain a security certification before they are occupied,” he emphasized.

    He also castigated the habit of employing and deploying unprofessional guards calling it a risk that shouldn’t be entertained.

    ACP Rutikanga, on his part, called for more vigilance and alertness from security guards, which he observed is still wanting.

    “Some guards don’t observe the basic security procedures at check-points,” the RPC said.

    He noted that “terrorism is real” urging them to be serious in the security tasks.

    Source:Police

  • People often use the word ‘you’ rather than ‘I’ to cope with negative experiences

    {Researchers say it may seem contradictory that a means of generalizing to people at large is used when reflecting on one’s most personal and idiosyncratic experiences. To cope with negative experiences or to share an insight, people often use the word “you” rather than “I.”}

    “You” is an overlooked word that people use to express norms and rules, new University of Michigan research found.

    Researchers conducted nine experiments with 2,489 people to understand why people curiously use “you” not only to refer to specific others, but also to reflect on their own experiences.

    “It’s something we all do as a way to explain how things work and to find meaning in our lives,” said Ariana Orvell, a doctoral student in the Department of Psychology and the study’s lead author.

    “When people use “you” to make meaning from negative experiences, it allows them to ‘normalize’ the experience and reflect on it from a distance,” said Orvell.

    For example, “you win some, you lose some” would indicate that a person has failed in a situation, but by using the word ‘you,’ they are able to communicate that this could happen to anyone.

    “Or saying that ‘when you are angry, you say and do things that you will most likely regret’ might actually explain a personal situation, but the individual attempts to make it something many people relate to,” Orvell said.

    In one experiment, researchers asked participants to write about a personal experience: 201 were asked to make meaning from a negative event, 198 were asked to relive a negative event, and 203 were simply asked to write about a neutral experience. Those in the meaning-making group used generic-you more in their essays (46 percent used the word at least once) than those in the Relive group (10 percent used the word at least once) and the neutral group (3 percent used the word at least once). The researchers also found that using generic-you led people to view the event as more distant.

    The researchers say it may seem contradictory that a means of generalizing to people at large is used when reflecting on one’s most personal and idiosyncratic experiences.

    “We suspect that it’s the ability to move beyond your own perspective to express shared, universal experiences that allows individuals to derive broader meanings from personal events,” Orvell said.

    Orvell collaborated on the study with Ethan Kross, psychology professor, and Susan Gelman, Heinz Werner Distinguished University Professor of Psychology and Linguistics.

    The findings appear in the latest issue of Science.

    "You win some, you lose some." Using the word "you" suggests it could happen to anyone.

    Source:Science Daily

  • Joint taskforce to streamline operations of commercial motorcyclists

    {The recently constituted joint taskforce to oversee and streamline the operations of commercial motorcycle operators says it has made great strides to reorganize members and its cooperatives.}

    The unit was established in January this year to partner with other entities like Rwanda Utility Regulatory Authority (RURA), Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA), and the federation of motorcycle cooperatives to reorganize the motorcycle business, prevent fatal accidents largely caused by or involving motorcyclists, malpractices related to bribery, and ensures professionalism of the motorcycle security personnel.

    There were also concerns of motorcyclists who were either direct or indirectly involved in crimes.

    In an interview, the spokesperson for the department of Traffic and Road Safety, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Emmanuel Kabanda, said: “Those who were directly involved in crime were committing offences like theft of their colleagues motorcyclists, stealing from passengers, reckless riding that could lead to accidents and drug trafficking while those that were indirectly involved in criminal activities were those that knowingly transported criminal or riding without any documents,” said CIP Kabanda.

    “The joint team aims at ensuring that all motorcycles are registered in cooperatives with an authorization from RURA, build a database with records about every motorcycles and motorcyclist, and ensure that their security personnel operate under contracts rather than the current structure where they are paid according to the number of fines they have issued,” he added.

    There was also concerns abuse of office by heads of cooperatives including embezzlement, fraud, and misallocation of funds as well as poor record keeping, which according to CIP Kabanda, the joint team will tackle.

    According to Kabanda, the team also found out that there were many motorcyclists who were operating illegally not registered, belonged to no cooperative as a prerequisite, have no transport authorization permit issued by RURA, and with no driver’s license.

    “After the implementation of the recommendation by the joint taskforce, the motorcycle business will completely be revolutionarised in a matter that members will see more advantages in operating professionally in cooperatives, ride with care to ensure road safety.”

    Source:Police

  • Most cancer mutations are due to random DNA copying ‘mistakes’

    {Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center scientists report data from a new study providing evidence that random, unpredictable DNA copying “mistakes” account for nearly two-thirds of the mutations that cause cancer. Their research is grounded on a novel mathematical model based on DNA sequencing and epidemiologic data from around the world.}

    “It is well-known that we must avoid environmental factors such as smoking to decrease our risk of getting cancer. But it is not as well-known that each time a normal cell divides and copies its DNA to produce two new cells, it makes multiple mistakes,” says Cristian Tomasetti, Ph.D., assistant professor of biostatistics at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “These copying mistakes are a potent source of cancer mutations that historically have been scientifically undervalued, and this new work provides the first estimate of the fraction of mutations caused by these mistakes.”

    “We need to continue to encourage people to avoid environmental agents and lifestyles that increase their risk of developing cancer mutations. However, many people will still develop cancers due to these random DNA copying errors, and better methods to detect all cancers earlier, while they are still curable, are urgently needed,” says Bert Vogelstein, M.D., co-director of the Ludwig Center at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center.

    Tomasetti and Vogelstein conducted the new study described in a report published March 24 in the journal Science.

    The researchers say their conclusions are in accord with epidemiologic studies showing that approximately 40 percent of cancers can be prevented by avoiding unhealthy environments and lifestyles. But among the factors driving the new study, say the researchers, is that cancer often strikes people who follow all the rules of healthy living — nonsmoker, healthy diet, healthy weight, little or no exposure to known carcinogens — and have no family history of the disease, prompting the pained question “Why me?”

    Tomasetti and Vogelstein believe the answer to this question rests in random DNA copying errors. Current and future efforts to reduce known environmental risk factors, they say, will have major impacts on cancer incidence in the U.S. and abroad. But they say the new study confirms that too little scientific attention is given to early detection strategies that would address the large number of cancers caused by random DNA copying errors.

    “These cancers will occur no matter how perfect the environment,” says Vogelstein.

    In a previous study authored by Tomasetti and Vogelstein in the Jan. 2, 2015, issue of Science, the pair reported that DNA copying errors could explain why certain cancers in the U.S., such as those of the colon, occur more commonly than other cancers, such as brain cancer.

    In the new study, the researchers addressed a different question: What fraction of mutations in cancer are due to these DNA copying errors?

    To answer this question, the scientists took a close look at the mutations that drive abnormal cell growth among 32 cancer types (Supplemental Materials, Table S6). They developed a new mathematical model using DNA sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and epidemiologic data from the Cancer Research UK database.

    According to the researchers, it generally takes two or more critical gene mutations for cancer to occur. In a person, these mutations can be due to random DNA copying errors, the environment or inherited genes. Knowing this, Tomasetti and Vogelstein used their mathematical model to show, for example, that when critical mutations in pancreatic cancers are added together, 77 percent of them are due to random DNA copying errors, 18 percent to environmental factors, such as smoking, and the remaining 5 percent to heredity.

    In other cancer types, such as those of the prostate, brain or bone, more than 95 percent of the mutations are due to random copying errors.

    Lung cancer, they note, presents a different picture: 65 percent of all the mutations are due to environmental factors, mostly smoking, and 35 percent are due to DNA copying errors. Inherited factors are not known to play a role in lung cancers.

    Looking across all 32 cancer types studied, the researchers estimate that 66 percent of cancer mutations result from copying errors, 29 percent can be attributed to lifestyle or environmental factors, and the remaining 5 percent are inherited.

    The scientists say their approach is akin to attempts to sort out why “typos” occur when typing a 20-volume book: being tired while typing, which represents environmental exposures; a stuck or missing key in the keyboard, which represent inherited factors; and other typographical errors that randomly occur, which represent DNA copying errors. “You can reduce your chance of typographical errors by making sure you’re not drowsy while typing and that your keyboard isn’t missing some keys,” says Vogelstein. “But typos will still occur because no one can type perfectly. Similarly, mutations will occur, no matter what your environment is, but you can take steps to minimize those mutations by limiting your exposure to hazardous substances and unhealthy lifestyles.”

    Tomasetti and Vogelstein’s 2015 study created vigorous debate from scientists who argued that their previously published analysis did not include breast or prostate cancers, and it reflected only cancer incidence in the United States.

    However, Tomasetti and Vogelstein now report a similar pattern worldwide, supporting their conclusions. They reasoned that the more cells divide, the higher the potential for so-called copying mistakes in the DNA of cells in an organ. They compared total numbers of stem cell divisions with cancer incidence data collected by the International Agency for Research on Cancer on 423 registries of cancer patients from 68 countries other than the U.S., representing 4.8 billion people, or more than half of the world’s population. This time, the researchers were also able to include data from breast and prostate cancers. They found a strong correlation between cancer incidence and normal cell divisions among 17 cancer types, regardless of the countries’ environment or stage of economic development.

    Tomasetti says these random DNA copying errors will only get more important as societies face aging populations, prolonging the opportunity for our cells to make more and more DNA copying errors. And because these errors contribute to a large fraction of cancer, Vogelstein says that people with cancer who have avoided known risk factors should be comforted by their findings. “It’s not your fault,” says Vogelstein. “Nothing you did or didn’t do was responsible for your illness.”

    In addition to Tomasetti and Vogelstein, Lu Li, a doctoral student in Tomasetti’s laboratory in the Department of Biostatistics at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, also contributed to the research. Funding for the research was provided by the John Templeton Foundation, the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Fund for Cancer Research, the Sol Goldman Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, and the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute (CA006973, CA43460, and CA62924).

    Vogelstein is a member of the scientific advisory boards of Morphotek, Exelixis GP, and Syxmex Inostics, and is a founder of PapGene and Personal Genome Diagnostics. Morphotek, Syxmex Inostics, PapGene, and Personal Genome Diagnostics, as well as other companies, have licensed technologies from The Johns Hopkins University on which Vogelstein is an inventor. These licenses and relationships are associated with equity or royalty payments to Vogelstein. The terms of these arrangements are being managed by The Johns Hopkins University in accordance with its conflict of interest policies.

    No matter how perfect the environment, random DNA copying errors occur.

    Source:Science Daily

  • 7 ways to improve communication with your partner

    {Improving the communication flow between you and your partner is a useful way to bettering your relationship. When the level of communication in your relationship is good, your relationship will also be better.}

    The problem in many relationships is that partners don’t know how to communicate, and this leads to too many misunderstanding, quarrels and arguments.

    These tips should help you communicate better with your partner:

    {{1. Listen }}

    Listening to your partner is probably the easiest part of communication, but unfortunately it’s the hardest part of many relationships. People hear their partner without really listening.

    For communication to be effective, there has to be a listening ear.

    {{2. Pay attention }}

    Pay attention to your partner; pay attention to what your partner is saying and pay attention to your partner’s body language. Paying attention will reveal so many things that you need to know, and understanding will improve drastically when partners pay attention to each other.

    {{3. Don’t interrupt }}

    Many couples find it hard to communicate because they interrupt each other. When you both interrupt each other, it means no one is listening, and when no one is listening, there’s no way communication will be successful.

    {{4. Don’t assume }}

    Stop assuming. Assumptions will make you see something false as the reality. Don’t assume; it could give you the wrong perception about your partner.

    {{5. Ask questions}}

    Where you aren’t sure – ask questions. Asking questions will tell you all you need know, and this will save your relationship a lot of stress. Communication will be improved when you ask questions.

    {{6. Even when you disagree }}

    Even when you disagree with your partner, avoid yelling and being insulting. Rather try to present your opinion in a way that depicts love and respect.

    {{7. Timing }}

    Timing is also very important during communication. There could be a right and wrong time to talk to your partner about certain things, especially a difficult subject. Always try to get your timing right.

    If you can improve the communication in your relationship, your relationship will reach unimaginable heights. Peace and understanding will be the benefits of an improved communication between you and your partner.

    Source:Elcrema

  • US general: Russia may be supplying Taliban fighters

    {Russia is ‘perhaps’ aiding the Taliban in fighting against US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, US general alleges.}

    The top US general in Europe said on Thursday he has seen growing Russian influence on the Afghan Taliban, and raised the possibility that Moscow was helping supply the fighters.

    Russia has been critical of the US over its handling of the war in Afghanistan – now in its 16th year – where the Soviet Union fought a bloody and disastrous war of its own in the 1980s.

    But Russian officials have denied they provide aid to the Taliban, which is contesting large swaths of territory and inflicting heavy casualties, and say their limited contacts are aimed at bringing the group to the negotiating table.

    “I’ve seen the influence of Russia of late – increased influence in terms of association and perhaps even supply to the Taliban,” Army General Curtis Scaparrotti, who is also NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, told a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

    Taliban capture key Afghan district; 9 police killed

    He did not elaborate on what kind of supplies might be headed to the Taliban or how direct Russia’s role might be.

    Taliban officials have told Reuters news agency the group has had significant contacts with Moscow since at least 2007, but added Russian involvement did not extend beyond “moral and political support”.

    NATO troops have been fighting in Afghanistan since a US-led invasion in late 2001, following the September 11 attacks.

    About 13,000 NATO service members are in Afghanistan – the bulk of them American – under its Resolute Support training mission.

    Scaparrotti said the stakes were high. More than 1,800 US troops have been killed in fighting since the war began.

    His comment goes one step further than remarks last month by General John Nicholson, the US commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan.

    Nicholson testified that Russia is giving the Taliban encouragement and diplomatic cover in order to undermine US influence and to defeat NATO, but he did not address whether Russia is supplying the group.

    The US in the 1980s supplied Afghan mujahideen fighters with high-tech weapons as they battled the Soviet Red Army.

    After more than 15 years of war, US generals say the Afghanistan conflict is stuck in a stalemate with the Taliban continuing to carry broad regional influence, and NATO-backed Afghan security forces struggling to make progress.

    Source:Al Jazeera