MUHANGA/HUYE/MUSANZE - Medics of the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) carried out 18 cases of general surgery, and attended to several other people with various ailments at Kabgayi Hospital, since the launch of army week in Muhanga on Monday last week.

According to Major Dr. King Kayondo who is part of the RDF medical team, other patients treated had ear, nose and dental complications.

"There are many patients but we are here to give the best of our services and most of the cases will be handled,” Kayondo said.

Kabgayi Hospital medics say RDF outreach programme is an opportunity to share knowledge and boost the hospital’s capacity to handle more cases.

Patients who were recently involved in an accident in Musambira, Kamonyi District, hailed the team for attending to them.

"The doctors have been concerned about the patient’s wellbeing on a routine basis. This is a sign of hope for a quick recovery for our loved ones,” one caretaker of an unconscious patient said.

RDF soldiers have also joined hands with residents in various community development activities in the district.
These include building classroom foundations for the Nine-Year Basic Education Programme in Munyinya and constructing a11 km stretch of road in Nyarusange sector.

In Musanze RDF soldiers along with residents and Police, last Monday started the construction of houses for residents who were rendered homeless by recent floods in Muko Sector, Musanze District.
Over 90 houses are expected to be constructed in several settlements.

The soldiers drawn from the 305th Brigade were joined by staff officers, and cadet trainees from Nyakinama Military Academy.

Col. John Gashaija, the area Brigade Commander, said that RDF would work with the community in a number of other development programmes.

”This programme will not just stop here, we want to ensure that homeless residents find a place to reside, and I am encouraging the community to fully participate in this exercise,’’ Gashaija said.

Excited beneficiaries of the houses thanked the soldiers for their humanitarian gesture.

"We were being accommodated by neighbours after floods destroyed our houses,’’ Florent Hategekimana said.

Speaking to hundreds of residents who turned up for the exercise in Muko sector, the district vice Mayor, Jerome Mugenzi, urged residents to work hand-in-hand with the RDF during these activities in order to transform the sector.

Meanwhile, in Huye District, the soldiers boosted the district’s efforts to do away with traditional grass-thatched huts by building modern houses in Gashoka village, Maraba Sector.

Maraba residents still living in grass thatched houses say that with this kind of support they are more than determined to acquire modern houses.

By Daniel Sabiiti, Bonny Mukombozi & Frederic Ntawukuriryayo contributed to this report. 

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