Category: Health

Hatari Desire is a Rwandan whose life is hanging on a thread. He desperately needs help. He needs a Kidney and Cash to be able to have his faulty kidney replaced at a hosipital in India.

Hatari suffers from a kidney disease and is seeking a Frw1.5 million for treatment so that he can live longer.

Born in 1989 in the District of Mbuye Ruhango, Hatari has suffered from kidney disease for four years. He changed several hospitals to no avail.

He first began with the hospital Kabgayi CHUK hospital for the time he was hospitalized at the National University Hospital of Butare (CHUB) where he is on dialysis three times a week.

Since doctors have confirmed, his kidneys cannot be restored except replacing them, Alphonse Ngarambe, the patient’s father, has promised to give him his kidney after medical tests confirmed that Hatari can receive a kidney from his dad.

The operation costs about 15 million Rwandan francs but the Rwandan government has decided to pay 85% through the Ministry of Health.

The 15% (Frw 2.5 million) must be paid by Hatari, who said he could find only one million by selling his plot.”I need a million and a half to go to the doctor in India” Hatari pleaded.

Hatari received a certificate from the Ministry of Health showing that he needs help so he can seek treatment.

Any One that needs to contribute can deposit cash on the account at Banque Populaire Number: 441340168211 BPR.

As part of his life expectancy, Hatari anticipate that it would be better to not exceed the month of May.

A mother has reportedly given birth to her baby in the corridor at Muhima hospital after failing to get attention from a doctor. She allegedly waited for thirty minutes without receiving any attention.

However, the story claims have been refuted by Muhima Hospital Authorities.

This comes at a time when poor service delivery is a contentious matter where the Prime Minister individually makes surprise supervisory visits to several public and private institutions.

The Prime Minister recently demanded Hospitals to scaleup the quality of service rendered to citizens and citizens have been urged to demand for better services.

The Information obtained by the National Broadcaster indicates that Muhima hospital authorities refuted the claims saying the mother might have been brought to hospital in final minutes of labour.

ORINFOR reportedly talked to her husband on telephone and he confirmed that he spent thirty minutes seeking a doctor at the hospital but in vain. He adds that he also requested for a wheel chair to carry his wife.

It’s alleged that other patients decided to establish a makeshift private area with women wrappers (kitenge) in the corridor and helped the mother give birth to her baby.

It is also reported that in the corridor there were patients waiting when a doctor (requested anonymity) emerged to check on one of the patients but noticed the incidence of the woman giving birth.

Dr. Jules Mushingatahe in charge of Muhima hospital says the claims by the mother are untrue because doctors arrived to pick her but found she had already given birth in the corridor.

Dr. Mushingantahe advises expectant mothers to always visit the hospital early enough whenever they get signals of labour.

The mother and the baby are currently being taken care of at the hospital and that they are all in good health.

Source ORINFOR

A study has revealed that every year 60,000 abortions are carried out in Rwanda. And that abortion is responsible for most deaths of mothers and infants.

The research was conducted by the ministry of Health in collaboration with the American Guttmacher Institute and the national university of Rwanda.

The study also revealed that in 25 every 1000 women between ages of 15 and 44, carryout abortion every year. Most of the abortions are due to unwanted pregnancies.

The study also disclosed that a third of women are affected by post abortion health complications do not receive fitting medical care.

The study also shows that most abortions are carried out by traditional healers without professional expertise. Such traditional healers operate in poor hygiene and poor equipment.

Most reasons provided by women who seek traditional healers to carryout abortion is due to the fact that abortion is illegal according to Rwandan law. Abortion is responsible for several deaths of mothers and infants.

The Lancet medical journal has revealed that 37% of commercial sex workers in Uganda have HIV thus Uganda sex workers have one of the highest rates of HIV infections in the world. The Lancet is an international medical journal.

The four-year survey funded by the World Bank and the United Nations Population Fund ranked Uganda as one of the countries where sex workers had a higher HIV prevalence than other women.

The Lancet revealed that some 99,878 female sex workers in 50 countries (14 in Asia, four in Eastern Europe, 11 in Latin America and the Caribbean, one in the Middle East and 20 in Africa), were subjects in the study conducted between January 1, 2007 and June 25, 2011.

Results of the study, which was led by Dr. Stefan Baral of the US-based John Hopkins School of Public Health, were released on Thursday.

The study assessed the burden of HIV compared to that of other women of reproductive age and found that the burden is disproportionately high and concluded that there is an urgent need to scale up access to quality HIV prevention programs for sex workers.

Sex workers in most of Africa had substantially higher levels of HIV than other women, posting more than 20% of prevalence.

Of all the prostitutes in the 50 countries, those in sub-Saharan Africa had the highest HIV prevalence.

Only two of the African countries studied, Egypt and Madagascar, had zero HIV rates among women who sell sex.

In every six seconds one person dies from a tobacco related disease. This amounts to 5million deaths globally every year.

The alarming statistics are contained in a new report released March 15th by the UN World Health Organization (WHO), entitled “Mortality Attributable to Tobacco”.

Dr.Ala Alwan, the UN WHO Assistant Director-General in charge of Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health says, “Unless strong actions are taken to halt the tobacco epidemic, one billion people are projected to die this century – we cannot let this happen. All countries should implement the Convention on tobacco control.”

The report shows that 5% of all deaths from communicable diseases worldwide and 14 % of deaths resulting from non-communicable illnesses among adults aged 30 and above were attributable to tobacco use.

Globally, each year Tobacco use is responsible for 5 million (12%) of all deaths of adults above the age of 30.

For the first time, a United Nations report provides estimated mortality rates attributable to tobacco for 2004, the year before the international treaty on tobacco came into force.

In 2005 the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) came into effect. It requires parties to restrict tobacco advertising, sponsorship and promotion. It also set new labeling and clean indoor air controls and strengthening laws against tobacco smuggling.

“Although many people associate tobacco with non-communicable diseases such as cancers, heart and respiratory diseases, tobacco is also a major cause of communicable diseases – tuberculosis being a case in point where the disease is at times in latent or dormant state until activated by tobacco use,” said Dr. Alwan, says in his forward message in the report.

Globally, deaths from tobacco-related cardiovascular diseases were more likely to occur among younger adults. 38% of deaths of adults resulting from ischemic heart disease in the 30-44 age group were attributable to tobacco, while 71 % of all lung cancer deaths were linked to the use of tobacco.

The report contains country-specific estimates including death rates attributable to tobacco. It is intended to help countries assess the mortality of tobacco use and measure the success of efforts to discourage the use of the substance.

It follows the 2008 WHO report on the issue, which prompted some Member States to request the agency to consider generating estimates to give them an indication of their progress in combating tobacco use.

The regions with the highest number of deaths related to the use of tobacco are the Americas and Europe where tobacco use has been in use longer, according to the report.

Police in Nyamasheke district have arrested a suspected fraudulent physician Munyantore Aloys who allegedly administered an injection to Ayonabonye Joséphine 50, that later died.

The Incident happened at Kanjongo, Kagano in Nyamasheke district.

Residents in the area have been advised to seek professional medical services at gazette health centers and avoid fraudsters that claim to be doctors.

Although the postmoterm results havnt been made public, Ayonabonye had on 8th March received an injection from Munyantore .

Munyantore had previously worked at Gisakura health center but was suspended due to his improper conduct and he later began illegally treating patients from his home.

Munyantore is accused of injecting a peneciline Extencelline injection despite being warned by other doctors not to do so earlier.

The Rwandan health sector is slated to gain from skilled Rwandan Diaspora. This follows a meeting held in Johannesburg South Africa intended to bring together all Rwandan Diaspora in the Health sector in order to look at possibility of providing their expertise to the Rwandan health sector.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in close collaboration with the High Commission of Rwanda in South Africa and the Rwandan Diaspora Global Network (RDGN), on 3rd March 2012, held a meeting with Rwandan Health Professionals on Migration for Development in Africa (MIDA) at Monte casino Conference Centre in Johannesburg, RSA.

During the meeting, different presentations were made. Amongst the key speakers were Mr. Jo Rispoli, Regional thematic specialist from IOM Pretoria, who presented on IOM-MIDA program and approach.

In his presentation, he talked about the effect of brain-drain in Africa and the need of the Diaspora to use their expertise for the development of African countries. His presentation was illustrated by case study of the Diaspora from Ghana.

Joan Matabaro, an official from Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, presented on the objectives of Migration for Development in Africa (MIDA) Health Rwanda project while Aimable Rwamucyo from RDGN presented on logistical arrangements for Health professionals intending to give out the knowledge.

Both emphasized on the will of the Government of Rwanda to benefit from the knowledge of the Rwandan diaspora and the established mechanism to facilitate that.

In his presentation, Dr Musabeyezu Emmanuel from Rwanda Biomedical Center listed priority needs of the health sector in Rwanda. He highlighted the lack of sufficient specialized medical doctors and the needed support from Rwandan diaspora.

On behalf of Rwandan medical doctors in Southern Africa, Dr Denis Karangwa re-affirmed the will of Rwandan health professionals to avail their expertise to Rwanda and called upon different stakeholders to look at logistical and administrative impediment to the project in order to speed the realization of the project.

In addition to the transfer of knowledge to Rwanda, he also called upon officials from Rwanda’s Ministry of Health to look at possibility to use modern technology such as tele-health (e-health) to give out their expertise from Southern Africa without travelling to Rwanda.

At the end of the workshop, the High Commission of Rwanda, OIM and RDGN agreed to set up a program during the course of the year 2012 that will see Rwandan health professionals in Rwanda to give out their expertise.

During the celebration of 9 year anniversary of International Centre for AIDS and Treatment Program (ICAP), Dr. Veronica Mugisha revealed that homosexuals have high chances of acquiring the HIV virus.

Mugisha said, “Apart from the usual way of making sexual relationships, gays or lesbians especially young people, are the first to be affected by HIV/AIDS.”

Dr.Wafaa El Sadr, the head of ICAP in the world said that their activities are not stopped. “We are not going to stop by here but we are going to emphasize on people practicing homosexuality for they are the one who are mostly bound with AIDS.”

Dr. Annita Asiimwe, the head of Rwanda Biomedical Centre confirmed that the Health Ministry has got the ability to take over. “For we have got ability, we have to send them to other places where they also need their help.”

The international Center of AIDS and Treatment Program (ICAP), has been working in Rwanda since 2002 from Columbia University in USA; by December this year, it expects to have helped 100.656 people taking antiretroviral drugs.

According to the research done in Rwanda, 4000 people, especially in prisons, are homosexuals and 15% of them are affected by HIV/AIDS virus.

Instead, 3,5% of people making sexual relationships in the usual way (man-woman) are only affected.

Apart from Rwanda, ICAP works also in other countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and South Africa and is sponsored by the United States of America (USA).

It is expected that by 2017, Rwanda will have a sufficient number of medical doctors that will be capable of relating to all proceedings related to health as well as be able to cure cancer.

On Friday, 17th February, the ministry of health received 45 university professors from the United States of America that will be residing in Rwanda for over seven years during which they will be training Rwandan doctors as well as students from various Rwandan universities.

Dr. Jean de Dieu Ngirabega, the doctor responsible for medical activities in the health ministry told IGIHE.com that without the collaboration of various partners the goal that Rwanda has set cannot be met.

The sort of teaching that is supposed to take place will require help from various renowned doctors and professionals of universities that have experience in dealing with treatments Rwandan doctors are seeking to learn.

Dr. Ngirabega also stated the importance of realizing that there are certain medical areas and treatments that require more than one specialist, for example in the attempt to find the cure for cancer, this will require different surgeons as well as medical treatments.

“Our country in 2017, Rwanda will have doctors specialised in all fields, these doctors just spent three days in discussions with the ministry of health on their work and workplaces. They will begin work in August current.

Kigali City Mayor Fidele Ndayisaba has said that dirt is now a taboo in the city and urged city dwellers to ensure the city is kept tidy all time.

Ndayisaba announced this on Wednesday 15th February 2012 while launching the Hygiene Month at Nyamirambo Regional stadium.

The Kigali city authority delegation lead by vice-mayors in charge of hygiene from three districts of the city visited hospitals and hotels within Gasabo district.

Hope Tumukunde, Kigali city vice-mayor in charge of social affairs said that they will use this month to visit all the institutions to encourage proper hygiene.

She said,“this month is for visits but after we shall go back to the visited institutions where we shall punish offenders.” She added that hygiene should become part of Rwandan culture and teach it to young children.

On 28th December 2012 the Health Ministry statistics showed that 80% of the treated diseases in Rwanda are from lack of hygiene.