RUSIZI–The Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) kick-started its community outreach campaign on Monday, ahead of celebrations to mark the 50 years of independence and 18 years since the country’s liberation. The week-long activities targeting Rusizi and Nyamasheke districts will conclude on June 30 while independence and liberation celebrations are slated to be held on July 1.A team of 212 doctors and nurses, including 26 specialists, mainly from the Rwanda Military Hospital (RMH), will offer free medical treatment to over 7,000 residents.The team has been dispatched across the two districts and will be based at Gihundwe, Kibogora, Bushenge and Mibirizi hospitals plus Nkanka, Muganza and Karengera health centres.The medical team comprises of orthopaedic surgeons, general surgeons, ophthalmologists, physiotherapists, dermatologists, radiologists and gynaecologists, among others.On the first day of the programme, residents turned out in huge numbers to receive treatment. At Gihundwe hospital, for instance, people started streaming in as early as 6.00 am with long queues evident at the facility with ophthalmology, male circumcision and dermatology departments the most stretched.By midday, about 250 people had registered for circumcision at the hospital. Young children, some less than 10 years seeking to undergo the procedure using the newly introduced prepex device as a team of experts worked round the clock.The Prepex device is a simple non-surgical method that requires neither a sterile setting nor injected anaesthesia. It is crucially a bloodless procedure with no need for sutures.The same massive turnout was also evident at Bushenge hospital, Nyamasheke District and various other hospitals."We have a big team and we are working all day to make sure we serve as many patients as possible,” Col. Dr. Ben Karenzi, the Director of the Rwanda Military Hospital said."We target to treat at least 1,000 patients a day and we are confident we shall reach it.”Speaking at the opening ceremony of the programme at Gihundwe hospital, Brig Gen Emmy Ruvusha, the RDF’s Western division commander, observed that the force has a constitutional responsibility to support the community in the development process."The Rwandan Constitution gives the Army the obligation to contribute to the development of the country, on top of safeguarding people’s security. If such a big team of specialised doctors is here today, it is because we understand that responsibility,” he said.The Governor of  the Western Province,, Celestin Kabahizi, observed that the RDF’s community medical outreach initiative was a sign of a continuous commitment to build a healthy and safe society."This is a result of good governance and good leaders who always think of the population’s development”.