KIGALI - Kigali Health Institute (KHI) yesterday held its 6th graduation ceremony that saw 230 students awarded various academic honours that included post graduate diplomas (11), bachelor’s degrees (43) and advanced diplomas which went to 176.

Of the 230 graduands, 139 were women constituting over 60 percent.

The Minister of Education Dr Charles Murigande, who presided over the event, handed honorary certificates to the three best students in all categories for their academic excellence.

The trio include Remy Wilson Bana who scored of 81 percent in Medical Imaging Sciences, Cecile Ingabire, best in General nursing also with 81 percent and Samuel Ntakirutimana, for the best research proposal.

Speaking to The New Times, Ingabire who also emerged the best overall performer in General Nursing expressed happiness over the achievement which she attributed to hardworking.

"I am extremely happy, I was not expecting to emerge the best though I entered the institution with a similar record, but I could not expect to maintain it, with the academic challenges at hand. I worked hard to achieve this,” she said.

During the event, KHI Rector, Dr Desire Ndushabandi demanded the graduands to live by and defend the values of the institution which involve upholding research, professionalism and accountability which will help them give Rwandans better medical services.

Murigande congratulated the students for the determination, enthusiasm and hard work they showed throughout their stay at the institution, saying that they should keep up the discipline that characterised them.
He also urged them to uphold medical ethics while serving Rwandans.

"A great number of diseases that affect the lives of Rwandans are caused by lack of preventive care, ignorance and sometimes indifference on the side of some undisciplined healthcare workers.

I hope you will not disappoint KHI by practicing contrary to the medical ethics you have acquired,” the Minister said.

He also revealed that government is considering bringing together health education institutions and forming a single ‘Rwanda University of Medicine and Health Sciences’.

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