Three months after Gisenyi Hospital in Rubavu District got a reference laboratory with support from the Global Fund, accessibility to healthcare has improved, according to officials and patients.

Dr William Kanyankore, the hospital’s medical director, said the facility had helped reduce pressure the workload on the Kigali-based National Reference Laboratory and improved accessibility.

"It was also set up to serve residents from regional countries, and that is why it was established near the border,” he noted.

Kanyankore said time spent waiting for the Multi Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) results had significantly reduced from up to four days to one day.

"We carry out exams related to HIV viral load, blood count, hepatitis and all other viral diseases, nolonger send samples to Kigali for examination,” he told The New Times.

Rehema Nyiramusabwa, the head of the laboratory department at the hospital, said before the state of the art facility, they had a moderate laboratory which could only carry out basic tests.

"We used to carry out 7,000 different tests monthly but now they have doubled – to over 14,000,” she said.

She added that they receive more clients during the cold season, especially between January and April as respiratory ailments increase.

"One of the challenges we face is that our clientele is way bigger than our capacity during this time, but we handle this by working 24 hours and  trying to handle critical cases first,” Kanyankore said.

He added that they receive patients from as far as Rutisro, Nyabihu and Karongi districts.

 Nyiramusabwa remarked that most of the cases they handle are hematological in nature (blood diseases).

She added that about 98 per cent of patients had medical insurance making it easier to  extend this kind of care.

"It has become very convenient, for instance cross-border traders from DRC pass by the laboratory for a 30-minute check-up as they await their merchandise to be cleared by border authorities,” said Ibrahim Kamanzi, a resident of Gisenyi Sector, Rubavu District.