Members of the Rotary Club Kigali-Virunga (RCKV) have committed to improving health sector, focusing on cancer and other non-communicable diseases.

Speaking Saturday during handover ceremony of the club’s a leadership in Kigali, the Rotarians said the commitment is part of their role in promoting a healthy nation.

At the event that brought participants, including members of the club, of the diplomatic corps and other guests, officials said the club puts more emphasis on health promotion, especially in cancer awareness, diagnosis and treatment, while also fighting other diseases.

Ngali Juma, RCKV’s new president, said, previously, they focused on education, together with their partners, established the first national public library that remains the biggest in the country.

He said they are planning to purchase a mobile clinic to a tune of $30,000 that will be used by doctors to reach upcountry areas screening cancers, adding that some patients get to know about their status when it is too late and this complicates their treatment.

"This year we intend to focus on cancer awareness, diagnosis and treatment. From the statistics available, most of the patients get to know that they have cancer when it is at a critical phase, we want to purchase a mobile clinic, which will be used by doctors to help people upcountry get screened,” Juma said.

"The mobile clinic will carry materials and we will do testing, we hope we will save lives as we will be capturing the disease at an early stage.”

Juma said RCKV works directly with the Ministry of Health and other government agencies and the mobile clinic will be handed to the ministry as soon as it arrives into the country.

He said other projects such as fighting diseases, saving mothers and children lives, supporting education and local economies will be prioritised in the year as funds are mobilised and secured.

"We are going to keep mobilising funds, we identify the need and write proposal which we submit to Rotary International, if they fall in the priorities then we may be lucky and get funds,” he said

In March, about 300 patients with different ailments benefited from plastic and orthopedic surgeries conducted by Rotary Club International in conjunction with the Ministry of Health.

Rotary Club International provided a team of 25 Indian surgeons who offered free treatment.

Joan Rwanyonga, the outgoing president, attributed the achievements of their organisation to the conducive environment provided by the Government and urged members to keep the spirit of promoting goodwill in the effort to build a better country.

RCKV is a branch of Rotary International, a global network of community volunteers and one of the largest and most influential humanitarian service organisations worldwide.

Founded in Chicago, US, on February 23, 1905, the organisation today boasts of more than 1.2 million members subscribing to 34,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.

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