Rwanda Military Hospital to treat thousands for free during Kwibohora20 Army Week

The Rwanda Military Hospital (RMH) will provide free health care to thousands of Rwandans in Musanze, Gakenke, Burera and Nyabihu districts during Army Week. This year’s Army Week is part of Kwibohora20 activities marking 20 years since the Rwandan Patriotic Front stopped the Genocide against the Tutsi and liberated Rwanda.

As part of Army Week, the RMH will treat survivors of the Genocide who still suffer from their wounds. This builds on the work already done by the hospital in offering specialised treatment to survivors. To date, RMH has covered 16 districts and treated 30,000 genocide survivors.

Of these, around 15 have been transferred abroad for services that could not be provided in Rwanda. During Army Week, Genocide survivors from Musanze, Gakenke and Burera will be treated at Ruhengeri and Nemba hospitals and specialists will consult those who need further medical care or surgery.

 In these three districts, the target is to treat 1,000 survivors. One thousand Genocide survivors from Nyabihu district will also be offered treatment by RMH specialists. All services will be free of charge.

Non-surgical and surgical male circumcision as well as HIV counselling and testing will be provided by the Rwanda Military Hospital in Rubavu, Musanze and Burera districts. This activity has been organised in partnership with the Society for Family Health and Drew Cares International. The official launch for this activity will take place at 3pm on 24 June 2014 at the Busogo Health Centre.

The Rwanda Military Hospital will offer free dental and eye care in Musanze and Burera districts. Included in this activity is the provision of cataract surgery at Ruhengeri Hospital. Rwanda Defence Force members will take part in Army Week by donating blood to help save the lives of many Rwandans in need of blood transfusions. This activity is organised in partnership with the National Blood Transfusion Centre and will officially launch at 9am on 24 June 2014 at the Kanombe Military Barracks in Kigali.

Rwanda Military Hospital Army Week Activities:

17-19 June: Provision of free, non-surgical and surgical male circumcision as well as HIV counselling and testing at the Gisenyi Health Centre in Rubavu District.
22 June-3 July: Provision of free, non-surgical and surgical circumcision at the Busogo and Muko Health Centres in Musanze District and at the Cyanika Health Center in Burera District.
22 June-3 July: Provision of free dental and eye care in Musanze and Burera districts.
23 June-3 July: Rwandan Defence Force members from the Kanombe and Kami Military Barracks to donate blood.
24 June: Official launch of blood donation by Rwanda Defence Forces personnel at the Kanombe Military Barracks at 9am.
24 June: Official launch of free, non-surgical and surgical circumcision and HIV counselling and testing at the Busogo Health Centre at 3pm.
26-29 June: Provision of specialist treatment for genocide survivors in Musanze, Gakenke and Burera districts.
30 June-3 July: Provision of specialist treatment for genocide survivors in Nyabihu District.
7 July-11 July: Provision of cataract surgery at the Ruhengeri Hospital.

Background on Army Week:

Army Week was created to support and strengthen government policies and programmes that improve national development and citizen welfare across Rwanda. The Army Weeks organised by the Rwanda Military Hospital involve taking specialised health care closer to citizens in need – especially those in rural and remote areas of the country where access to medical specialists is limited.

MoD

UM– USEKE.RW