Rubavu residents have raised concern over the health centers’ failure to give them treatment under Mutuelle de santé medical scheme, especially if their ailments are related to the kidney performance, referring most of them to seek medical check-up from Gisenyi Hospital where a Dialysis machine has been installed.
Munyaburanga Olive, a female caretaker of her husband suffering from a kidney ailment has told RBA that she is required to pay over Rwf 1 million per month to get medical attention. “I pay Rwf 1,080,000 per month. We pay the hard-earned money for treatment, otherwise the patient would be dead by now. ,” she said.
A number of patients and or their extended families in the area are said to have sold their properties to get money to foot medical bills leaving them wallowing in deeper poverty. They have appealed for government intervention to allow them get kidney treatment using Mutuelle de santé.
“We are overwhelmed with huge medical bills. It would be better if the government helped us to get assisted using mutuelle de santé,” said one patient.
Maj. Dr. Kanyankore William, the director of Gisenyi Hospital said that almost 95 % of kidney patients use mutuelle de santé yet its insurance doesn’t cover payments of kidney disease.
“Patients don’t come to us because most of them use mutuelle de santé. The equipment used to treat kidneys are expensive but we are holding discussions so that mutuelle de santé subscribers can be treated,” he said.
Gisenyi is among the four Hospitals in Rwanda with kidney treatment capabilities. Others include King Faisal Hospital, University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK) andUniversity Teaching Hospital of Butare (CHUB).
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