Thirty-one people were on Wednesday awarded certificates in Strategic Information in Support of Improved HIV/Aids Programmes.

The function held at Alpha Palace Hotel was organised by the US’ Tulane University’s Payson Centre for International Development and the National University of Rwanda School of Public Health in a bid to scale up the fight against the HIV/Aids in the country.

The three-month course saw participants train in core subjects such as epidemiology, behavioural change and operational research that will help them implement HIV/Aids programmes.

Professor Cyprien Munyanshongore, the director of School of Public Health, said the students had been equipped with skills that would help them conduct research in HIV/Aids related diagnosis, and handling HIV/Aids patients.

"It is one of the many ways of increasing the low number of specialists in HIV/Aids information that will accelerate the capacity of fighting the disease,” Munyashongore said.

He added that the graduates were already involved in anti-Aids activities in different organisations such as the Protection and Care of Families with HIV/Aids (Pacfa), Kigali Health Institute (KHI) and the National Aids Control Commission (CNLS).

ENDS