A group of 10 medical students from the National University of Rwanda (NUR) this week started a six-month training in palliative care at Kibagabaga Hospital, Gasabo District.

Dr Christian Ntizimira, a palliative care expert, told this paper that the training would equip the students with the skills and technical expertise in as far as improving palliative care is concerned in Rwanda.

Palliative care is medical care provided by physicians, nurses and social workers that specialise in the relief of the pain, symptoms and stress of serious illness.

"Kibagabaga hospital is the only palliative care centre of excellence in the country which is why we are training to ensure more professionals in the field,” he said.

According to Ntizimira, the trainees are from nursing, internal medicine and paediatric field among others, and upon completion of their training, they will be deployed in different health facilities across the country.

Last year, the Ministry of Health, in partnership with Intra-Health, organised the first-ever national palliative care workshop for trainers, the first of the major steps the country has taken toward realising the national palliative care policy adopted last year.