The Ministry of Health on Friday handed over 30 motorcycles to districts and one ambulance to Kinihira District Hospital as part of the campaign to strengthen data quality audit assessment.

The motorcycles and ambulance, worth 220,000 Euros, were donated to the ministry by the Belgian Technical Cooperation (BTC - Rwanda) to ease access to medical services for people in Kinihira.

"Patients such as women in labour sometimes miss quality treatment due to unnecessary delays but the ambulance will solve that problem,” said Dr Anita Asiimwe, the Minister of State in charge of Public Health and Primary Health care.

"With the digital era, the motorcycles will not be used to collect data but rather to clarify data authenticity and enhance supervision and closeness between patients and the districts,” Asiimwe said.

He encouraged district leaders to put the motorcycles to good use and hailed BTC for its continuous support, especially in the health sector.

Speaking on behalf of other district officials, Dr Abdullah Utumatwishima, the director of Kinihira District Hospital in Rulindo District, said  the ambulance will ease treatment for patients in the countryside and enable  quick treatment for people in delicate conditions.

"There are still many challenges facing the health sector but this ambulance and the motorcycles will solve a number of them,” Utumatwishima said.

Erwine De Wandel, Minister Counsellor in the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium, hailed the Rwandan Government for the tremendous progress and pledged continued support from Belgium.

"Belgium will continue supporting the Rwandan Government in a number of sectors, including health. This grant comes as part of the ongoing Institutional Support Programme to the Ministry of Health that started in 2011 and ends in 2014,” Wandel said.

He said the motorcycles will help in monitoring and supervision at district level.

BTC extended about 12.3 million Euros for the four years of the Institution Support Programme to the Ministry of Health.