Kiziguro Hospital, located in Gatsibo district, is facing a shortage of gynaecologists, which has affected the delivery of services in the hospital.

The hospital, which receives about 300 expectant mothers every month from 11 sector health centers, has no gynaecologists or specialists.

ALSO READ: How Rwanda seeks to build critical mass of healthcare workforce

According to Sister Xaverina Mwemera, the Director of Kiziguro Hospital, this has led to generalist doctors performing gynaecological tasks and has also affected other medical areas in the hospital.

Mwemera also pointed out that neighbouring hospitals in Rwamagana and Kayonza, which are at the same level as Kiziguro Hospital, have gynaecological specialists. She added that Kiziguro Hospital needs at least six specialists.

This problem is compounded by the hospital’s reported shortage of maternity wards.

ALSO READ: PM Ngirente calls for speedy completion of new Kiziguro Hospital premises

Although Richard Gasana, the Mayor of Gatsibo district, acknowledged that the shortage of doctors, particularly in the maternity ward, is a countrywide issue, the district has discussed it with the Ministry of Health to find a way of bringing in part-time doctors who can help for a few days a week and return to their place of treatment.

Dr Corneille Ntihabose, the Head of Clinical and Public Health Services Department at the Ministry of Health, noted that the distribution of the workforce to various health facilities depends on the levels of health facilities, their packages, and the availability of workforce on the health labour market.

Ntihabose added that the hospital is under consideration to receive some workforce.

Kiziguro hospital, one of the two hospitals in Gatsibo district, provides annual outpatient consultations to over 35,000 people. The Eastern province has ten hospitals, including Kibungo Referral Hospital, Rwamagana Provincial Hospital, and eight other district hospitals at the same level as Kiziguro Hospital.