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By Annonciata Byukusenge
Residents of Kigina Sector, especially mothers, say they are now relieved from the hardship of making long journeys to seek healthcare services elsewhere, as their sector previously had no health center.
Those mothers shared how they used to struggle to access healthcare services in the neighboring Ngoma District or other distant sectors. However, since the Rusumo Project, through the Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program (NELSAP), built a health center for them, life has become much easier.
Mukakayonde Dorothée, a woman in her 40s, was found at Kigina Health Center when Forefront Magazine visited the facility. She was there for treatment and shared how grateful she is to have health services nearby.
She said:
“This health center came at the right time, especially for us mothers who were suffering. When we were pregnant, sometimes we couldn’t even afford to go for antenatal checkups because we didn’t have enough money for transport to Kibungo in Ngoma District, to Mahama, Nasho, or any other place where we knew quality services were provided. A transport fare would cost about 5,000 Rwandan Francs, no matter where we were going, because transporting a pregnant woman on a motorcycle was considered risky.”
She added that some mothers would go through their entire pregnancies without any medical checkups, and many would arrive at health centers only after giving birth at home. This often happened when a woman went into labor at night and had no way of reaching a health facility.
Mugiraneza Fulgence, a man in his mid-30s, also testified that the Kigina Health Center saved them both time and money that would have been spent traveling to seek healthcare.
He said:
“Whenever we fell sick, the first thing that worsened our situation was the anxiety of figuring out how to get transport fare to the hospital because it was expensive. When a child got sick at night, we couldn’t sleep because sometimes the child would not survive till morning, especially in severe cases like malaria with high fever. Now, when someone is sick, we can quickly get treatment without high costs, wherever they live in the Kigina Sector. Some even walk to the health center because they live nearby.”
Apart from bringing healthcare services closer, the quality of services at Kigina Health Center is even better compared to the places they used to visit. He added.
Abdoul Karm Rukundo, the Assistant Manager of Kigina Health Center, told Forefront Magazine that since the health center opened on June 2, 2019, they have been able to serve many patients who previously had to travel distances of between 10 and 13 kilometers to access healthcare services.
He said:
“Residents of Kigina Sector welcomed this health center, and they no longer need to seek services elsewhere. Currently, we serve about 32,900 outpatients per month, but the facility can hospitalize up to 46 patients at a time.”
Mr. Rukundo further explained that most of the diseases they encounter are related to poor hygiene, such as diarrhea, intestinal worms, and typhoid, particularly among people living in areas without access to clean water. Malaria also remains prevalent in Kirehe District, including Kigina Sector.
The Rusumo Project is a joint initiative by Rwanda, Tanzania, and Burundi. In Rwanda, through NELSAP, the project provided financial support worth $5 million to Kirehe and Ngoma districts, with each district receiving $2.5 million. Kirehe District chose to use the funds to build the Kigina Health Center and rehabilitate the 30-kilometer Cyagasenyi-Gasarabwayi-Nganda road, which connects Kigarama and Musaza sectors.
