The first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines comprised of 240,000 AstraZeneca doses arrived in Rwanda yesterday morning followed by the second batch of 102, 1960 Pfizer vaccines in the evening.
Rwanda has become the first African country to receive Pfizer vaccines distributed through COVAX, a global initiative aimed at working with vaccine producers to provide countries worldwide with equitable access to safe and effective vaccine.
The second batch of Pfizer vaccines was received by the Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Ngamije along with other officials and diplomats including the Head of Delegation of the European Union to Rwanda, Amb. Nicola Bellomo.
Pfizer is among COVID-19 vaccines with 95% efficacy.
Pfizer vaccines can be stored in refrigerated conditions of -70 Celsius degree.
As he received Astrezeneca vaccines on Wednesday morning, the Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Ngamije said that vaccination program has already started in Rwanda.
“We plan to vaccinate 7.8 million Rwandans. You know that many countries need vaccines but we are doing all the necessary to get them to vaccinate Rwandans as soon as we can and return to normalcy,” he said.
Dr. Ngamije has revealed that targeted people to be vaccinated effective from 5th March 2021 include health workers, frontline worker, elders above the age of 65 living with chronic diseases are.
He highlighted that 7.8 million Rwandans will have been vaccinated not later than June 2022.
Received vaccines will be distributed countrywide effective Thursday 4th February 2021 whereby targeted persons will be communicated to get vaccinated at health centers.
The country will receive batches of vaccines every month in proportion to the number of people to be vaccinated.
So far, a total of 249 million vaccines have been distributed globally.
Eastern Region Police Spokesperson Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamdun Twizeyimana said that the suspects were arrested separately on March 01 in Police operations following a tip-off from locals.
“Two of the suspects identified as Habarurema Jean Paul,19, and Bucyensenge Pocianne 28, were apprehended in Ndego Sector in Kayonza district while trafficking cannabis – approximately 5 kilograms. Habimana Emile 26, was arrested in Nyamirama Sector in the same district carrying 10 kgs of Cannabis in two bags,” CIP Twizeyimana explained.
The region Spokesperson added that the arrest of the first two suspects came as a result of information from members of the public; while the last one was arrested by traffic Police officers in their routine work at a traffic Post.
“Habimana was stopped at a Traffic Police check point in Nyamirama at about 09:00am in the morning. Police officers saw a motorcycle trying to hide behind a long truck and they immediately stopped it. The rider was found with two bags of marijuana weighing around 05kgs each’’ the spokesperson narrated.
The spokesperson thanked members of the community who shared this information about cannabis dealers that led to apprehension of the suspects and seizure of the narcotic drugs.
“These and many other successful operations show the impact of community policing where people stand up to fight anything that affects their well-being. Every citizen should emulate such an act and share information about wrong doing with the nearest police” he added.
Narcotics, he noted, are a threat to life and they interfere with security and safety measures within any given community as it fuels mostly violent crimes.
Cannabis is listed as a “very severe drug” under the Ministerial Order No.001/MoH/2019 of 04/03/2019 establishing the list of narcotic drugs and their categorization.
Under article 263 of the law determining offences and penalties in general in Rwanda, anyone convicted for dealing in “very severe narcotic drugs” faces between 20 years and life in prison and a fine of between Rwf20 million Rwf30 million.
Rwanda confirmed the first COVID-19 case on 14th March 2020. Since then, 19 198 people have been tested positive out of 1 020 989 sample tests of whom 17 569 have recovered, 1364 are active cases while 265 have succumbed to the virus.
The statement released last night shows that nine people are critically ill.
The prevalence of new infections, recoveries and death toll stands at 2.2%, 91.5% and 1.4% respectively.
Coronavirus symptoms include coughing, flu, and difficulty in breathing. The virus is said to be transmitted through the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.
Rwandans are urged to adhere to COVID-19 health guidelines, washing hands frequently using soaps and safe water, wearing face masks and respecting social distancing.
Rwanda received 342, 960 COVID-19 vaccines in two batches comprised of Pfizer and AstraZeneca doses.
Covax is a global initiative aimed at working with vaccine producers to provide countries worldwide with equitable access to safe and effective vaccine.
The first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines comprised of 240,000 AstraZeneca doses arrived in Rwanda yesterday morning followed by the second batch of 102, l960 Pfizer vaccines in the evening.
As the first shipment arrived, Kagame hailed Covax initiative via Twitter handle noting that the vaccines have come in handy.
“It’s been long wait, some better prepared and more ready…not to mention some ‘more equal than others’ But certainly all of us in urgent need. Now good news to see COVID-19 Vaccines arrive in Africa starting with Ghana…this morning in Rwanda & more. Thanks #COVAX,” he said .
Rwanda received vaccines following other African countries including Ghana and Nigeria.
The country will receive batches of vaccines every month in proportion to the number of people to be vaccinated.
Qatar Airways operates three-weekly flights from Kigali and 90 weekly flights in total from Africa. Passengers travelling from Africa can connect seamlessly with the widest network in the US, Asia and Europe via the Best Airport in the Middle East and enjoy enhanced baggage allowances.
Commenting on the development, Qatar Airways Vice President Africa, Mr. Hendrik Du Preez, said: “We are proud to be the leading international carrier connecting Rwanda with Asia, Europe, the US and Middle East. From 33 routes at the height of the pandemic, we have rebuilt our global network to more than 900 weekly flights to over 130 destinations, supporting the Rwandan diaspora with more flexible and seamless travel options to visit family and relatives.”
“Today’s flight operated by our largest twin engine aircraft demonstrates our agility to respond to our passengers and operate the right aircraft to meet both passenger and cargo demand. We hope to see this trend continue as we move out of the pandemic,” he added.
Qatar Airways has become the first global airline in the world to achieve the prestigious 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating by international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax. This follows HIA’s recent success as the first and only airport in the Middle East and Asia to be awarded a Skytrax 5-Star COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating.
These recognitions provide assurance to passengers across the world that airline health and safety standards are subject to the highest possible standards of professional, independent scrutiny and assessment. For full details of all the measures that have been implemented onboard and in HIA, please visit qatarairways.com/safety.
Passengers can book flights with peace of mind, knowing that Qatar Airways offers unlimited date changes and fee-free refunds for all tickets issued before 30 April 2021, for travel completed by 31 December 2021. The carrier’s industry-leading flexible booking policy also provides the permanent feature of exchanging tickets for a travel voucher with 10% additional value for all customers booking travel via qatarairways.com. For full terms and conditions visit qatarairways.com/Flexibility.
Passengers travelling from Africa can also enjoy enhanced baggage allowances with up to 46kg in economy class and up to 64kg in business.
{{About Qatar Airways:
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A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Airline’ by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, ‘World’s Best Business Class’ and ‘Best Business Class Seat’, in recognition of its ground-breaking Business Class experience, Qsuite. Qatar Airways is the only airline to have been awarded the coveted “Skytrax Airline of the Year” title, which is recognised as the pinnacle of excellence in the airline industry, five times.
Hamad International Airport (HIA), the airline’s home and hub, was recently ranked “Third Best Airport in the World”, among 550 airports worldwide, by the SKYTRAX World Airport Awards 2020. Rising from fourth position in 2019 to third in 2020, HIA has been steadily rising in the ‘World’s Best Airports’ rankings since the start of its operations in 2014. In addition, HIA was voted the ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ for the sixth year in a row and ‘Best Staff Service in the Middle East’ for the fifth year in a row.
Qsuite, a patented Qatar Airways product, features the industry’s first-ever double bed in Business Class, as well as privacy panels that stow away, allowing passengers in adjoining seats to create their own private room, a first of its kind in the industry.
Qatar Airways was the first Gulf carrier to join global airline alliance oneworld, enabling its passengers to benefit from more than 1,000 airports in more than 160 countries, with 14,250 daily departures.
Oryx One, Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system offers passengers up to 4,000 entertainment options from the latest blockbuster movies, TV box sets, music, games and much more. Passengers flying on Qatar Airways flights served by its B787, B777, A350, A380, A319 and select A320 and A330 aircraft can also stay in touch with their friends and family around the world by using the award-winning airline’s on-board Wi-Fi and GSM service.
Qatar Airways proudly supports a range of exciting international and local initiatives dedicated to enriching the global community that it serves. Qatar Airways, the official FIFA partner, is the official sponsor of many top-level sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM, reflecting the values of sports as a means of bringing people together, something at the core of the airline’s own brand message – Going Places Together.
Qatar Airways Cargo, one of the world’s leading international air cargo carriers, serves more than 60 freighter destinations worldwide via its world-class Doha hub and also delivers freight in the belly-hold of passenger aircraft to an extensive global network. The Qatar Airways Cargo fleet includes two Boeing 747-8 freighters and 24 Boeing 777 freighters.
Qatar Executive is the private jet charter division of Qatar Airways Group. Luxury jet services are available for worldwide charter on board the operator’s wholly-owned business jet fleet. Qatar Executive is the launch customer for Gulfstream’s G700, the world’s first commercial service operator of the Gulfstream G500 and largest commercial operator of the G650ER worldwide. Qatar Executive’s service portfolio also includes aircraft management, maintenance and Fixed Based Operator services.
{{For further information, please contact:}}
Qatar Airways Group, Corporate Communications Department
The European Union (EU) and Rwanda’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN) recently signed a grant contract to support and increase digital based employment opportunities in high potential economic sectors through these hubs.
This is financed from the EU’s programme to support private sector development and job creation in Rwanda adopted in 2020.
HANGA Hubs will provide space and support for young labour market entrants and start-ups to adopt innovative technologies to enhance productivity, competitiveness, and growth.
Commenting on the development, the Head of Delegation of the European Union to Rwanda, Amb. Nicola Bellomo said that HANGA hubs will help aspiring young entrepreneurs to react to market demands.
“Start-ups can significantly transform and strengthen the economy. They may be small, but they are dynamic, flexible and able to react to market demands. Going by its meaning, HANGA or “Create” hubs will be the home for creative, innovating start-ups, where aspiring young entrepreneurs will find support and help of other entrepreneurs, role models, mentors and fellowships along their journey,” he said.
The HANGA hubs project will be implemented by the Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA) in close collaboration with ICT Chamber and several other players in the ecosystem. This project will address gaps in Rwanda’s innovation ecosystem limiting the pipeline of start-ups and innovations, namely lack of tech-entrepreneurship support and access to services for tech-based innovative start-ups.
“This intervention is timely and aligns well with our Government efforts to strengthen and expand the tech-enabled innovation ecosystem in Rwanda. This initiative seeks to ensure that opportunities for tech-innovation and start-up incubation are made easy and equally accessible for all young innovators regardless of where they are located in the country,” said Paula Ingabire, the Minister of ICT and Innovation.
“The project will target potential entrepreneurs with constructive ideas and solutions in key sectors of the economy such as health, agriculture, financial services, tourism and hospitality, construction, education, and many others,” she added.
Hanga Hubs Project is expected to support over 768 young Innovators to undergo a 9-month incubation program, which will result into creation of 192 start-ups.
Support services that would be offered to innovators in the 4 HANGA Hubs will range from business support; market and customer validation support ; Business-to-business (B2B) matching; networking and exposure trips to allow incubated start-ups to attain an early growth stage that could trigger investment.
“At Rusizi Prison, a detainee called Masengesho Daniel attempted to escape at night, unfortunately the deceased resisted to Prison guards on duty , prompting his shooting that resulted into his death,” RCS revealed via Twitter handle.
IGIHE has learnt that Masengesho was seen climbing the prison’s fencing as he attempted to escape around 7:47 pm on 24th February 2021. It is said that prison warders fired a warning shot into the air and shot him after declining to move back.
Masengesho was serving four-year jail sentence at Rusizi prison located in Rusizi district, Western Province.
The fighting took place on 26th February 2021 when the young man wrangled with his father claiming that he was not inherited.
They were both taken to health facilities for medical attention where the father succumbed to injuries.
After learning about the death of his father, the young man jumped over the fencing of Musango Health Center where he was admitted and hang himself in the surroundings.
The executive secretary of Mutuntu sector, Nsengiyumva Songa has told IGIHE that the father died from the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK) where he was transferred.
“It is true that he killed his father who succumbed to injuries. After learning about father’s death, the young man jumped over fencing of the health facility where he was admitted and hang himself within 20 minutes using a bed sheet from the health center,” he said.
“The security guard provided information that the patient jumped over the fencing. Within 20 minutes after escaping, residents alerted us that someone had committed suicide within 20 minutes. We went there and found the young man dead,” added Nsengiyumva.
He appealed on residents to solve disputes amicably in Amasibo (village leadership sub-units) or seek interventions from cell or sector leaders if mediation fails.
The young man’s body was taken to Kibuye Hospital for postmortem.
The vaccines are distributed through COVAX, a global initiative aimed at working with vaccine producers to provide countries worldwide with equitable access to safe and effective vaccine.
The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, codenamed AZD1222, is a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca given by intramuscular injection.
One dosing regimen showed 90% efficacy when a half-dose was followed by a full-dose after at least one month, based on mixed trials with no participants over 55 years old.
Another dosing regimen showed 62% efficacy when given as two full doses separated by at least one month.
On 30 December 2020, the vaccine was approved for use in the United Kingdom’s vaccination programme, and the first vaccination outside of a trial was administered on 4th January 2021.
As he received vaccines, the Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Ngamije said that vaccination program has already started in Rwanda.
“We plan to vaccinate 7.8 million Rwandans. You know that many countries need vaccines but we are doing all the necessary to get them to vaccinate Rwandans as soon as we can and return to normalcy,” he said.
Dr. Ngamije has revealed that targeted people to be vaccinated effective from 5th March 2021 include health workers, frontline worker, elders above the age of 65 living with chronic diseases are.
He highlighted that 7.8 million Rwandans will have been vaccinated not later than June 2022.
Received vaccines will be distributed countrywide effective Thursday 4th February 2021 whereby targeted persons will be communicated to get vaccinated at health centers.
Rwanda also awaits 102 960 Pfizer vaccines today evening while more 500,000 vaccines are expected next week.
The country will receive batches of vaccines every month in proportion to the number of people to be vaccinated.
So far, a total of 249 million vaccines have been distributed globally.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, said that the quartet was found filtering minerals in Butita stream located in Karambi Village, Tyazo Cell of Rugabano Sector.
He identified the suspects as Ndahimana Damascène, 23, Mudatinya Viateur, 30, Nduhura Claude, 28 and one Rwanzegushira, 42.
The spokesperson said that the suspects are part of the group that sneaks into streams apparently to exploit gold.
“Last month, Police arrested 15 people in the same stream and these four are also members of the same group that engages in illegal mineral exploitation in Butita and Musogoro streams. Most illegal miners are arrested in the sectors of Rugabano, Rubengera and Gashari,” CIP Karekezi said.
He added that these illegal mining activities in the streams also lead to water pollution and environmental degradation.
Environmental experts say that such activities release substances into water bodies making water unsafe for human use and disrupts aquatic ecosystems.
According to CIP Karekezi, illegal miners in these streams are also affecting the nearby environment where they cut trees in search of minerals.
While thanking some local residents who report such unlawful acts, the spokesperson also warned those who facilitate these criminal practices.
Article 54 of the law on mining and quarry operations, states that; “any person, who undertakes mineral or quarry exploration, exploitation, processing or trading without a license commits an offense.”
Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term of between two and six months and a fine of not less than Rwf1 million and not more than Rwf5 million or only one of these penalties.
