{The Rwanda Military Hospital (RMH) has announced positioning itself to establish a Centre of Excellence in prevention and treatment of malaria disease through scientific research. This was disclosed by the Commandant of RMH, Brig Gen Dr. Emmanuel Ndahiro during a one day international Symposium on Malaria held in Kigali Capital on 22 April 2016. }
The Symposium was organised by the RMH in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO), among other partners.
“RMH is positioning itself to be part of that journey of eradicating malaria. We have necessary infrastructures, the resources committed to research and we have the will to develop skills necessary to undertake deep researches required’’, the Commandant said.
The Symposium was officially opened by the Minister of Health, Hon Agnes Binagwaho along with the RDF Army Chief of Staff, Maj Gen Jacques Musemakweli, and the WHO Country Representative, Dr Olu Olushayo.
?In her remarks, Minister Binagwaho higlighted that Malaria is not only a health threat but also an economic threat to the whole region and called countries to combine efforts in the fight against the disease. “We need to come together because this disease can backward our development”, she said before adding: “what we can commit today is zero death due to Malaria”. She further lauded the efforts of Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), particularly the RMH, in the fight against Malaria.
The WHO Country Representative, Dr. Olu Olushayo said that Malaria is a major disease that kills many people especially young children and women both in the region and on the African continent. He commended the efforts of the Government of Rwanda in dealing with the resurgence of malaria over past years. “This is the country where we have a political will at the highest level to put malaria under control”, he underscored.
He cited as an example the Army Week, an outreach medical program undertaken from time to time by RDF to help the community at preventing and controlling malaria and other diseases. Dr Olushayo also pledged the full support of WHO in the implementation of relevant recommendations the Symposium will have come up with.
The Symposium brought together medical specialists and researchers, policy makers, economists from nearly all continents, the overall objective being to discuss challenges, share experiences and dress a way forward in the fight against, and eradication of Malaria.
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