Community Health Workers undergo ‘Itorero’

The sixth edition of the national civic education commonly known as Iteroro has commenced countrywide. The New Times Regional desk brings you an update on this national exercise. NORTHERN PROVINCE BURERA-Community health advisors who are attending the sixth phase of Itorero ryigihugu have been urged to ensure that residents undertake family planning services. The State Minister for Local Government, Christine Nyatanyi, said this while visiting civic education sites in Burera district where she addressed hundreds of the health advisors. Four people from every village also known as mudugudu, charged with community health have assembled at different sites and will have various lessons offered to them within the general Itorero curriculum. Nyatanyi called upon health advisors to become exemplary by practicing family planning while being at the forefront to ensure basic hygiene and sanitation standards within their villages are adhered to. Itorero ryigihugu started last year, with the first phase of over 23,000 local authorities officials passing out in April, 2008.This was followed by 43,000 teachers, executive secretaries of sectors and the students from the Diaspora. ‘This is the first time we meet as health advisors from different communities, and it’s an opportunity to share experience and learn about the national programs,’’ Nsabimana Alphonse, a community health advisor, from Cyuve sector said. He added that the civic training will serve as an eye opener to the community health advisors on matters of national development and impact on their own lives. WESTERN PROVINCE KARONGI- The State Minister of Education in charge of primary education, Theoneste Mutsindashyaka has advised that people should boldly use condoms during sex if it is hard for them to abstain before legally engaging in marriage. He even suggested that married couples may adopt the idea should any of the partners be infected with diseases that may be transmitted through sexual contact. “Condoms help to protect you from sexually transmitted diseases as well as unwanted pregnancies. This is a substantial way to get this assurance.” Mutsindashyaka said yesterday. He was speaking while officiating at an opening ceremony of the Iteroro in Gashari Sector, Karongi district in the Western Province. The workshop was attended by over 700 workers from various health centers as an ongoing countrywide program. It is estimated that 2200 others are undergoing the same training at various locations in the district . The Minister called upon women to apply tough measures against their husbands if they deliberately refuse to use condoms even when it is necessary. “I especially request women that if your husbands intentionally refuse to adhere to this advice, you deny them sex,” Mutsindashyaka who is also directly in charge of Karongi District said amid laughter from the public. He advocated for child immunization as paramount to good health which is in turn is essential for sustainable development. Bernard Kayumba, the mayor of Karongi district welcomed the move and expressed optimism that this would help to definitely help to increase the health awareness in the public. SOUTHERN PROVINCE HUYE- Justice Minister and Attorney General, Tharcise Karugarama on Monday officially opened a three week camp (Intorero) for community health workers in the district. More than 1,500 community health workers gathered in Huye during the course of the camp whereby they will be offered lessons under the Itorero curriculum. Minister Karugarama, in his opening remarks called upon participants to develop effective communication while being at the forefront of initiating a culture of dialogue as a means to finding solutions to challenges faced within society. “This is an opportunity for you to lay strategies on how you will improve the health sector in your communities. It is also an opportunity to meet as Rwandans whereby you can reflect on our values that we cherish as a people,” said Karugarama. He said that the Itorero as an ancient cultural institution should be used to ‘sow seeds’ for a new Rwanda.Community health workers, as their title indicates, live and work among their communities. They are closer to the people and are well positioned to use traditional formal and informal networks so as to ease health service provision. They play vital roles in mobilising communities for campaigns like immunisation, family planning, community nutrition surveillance and malaria prevention.According to Pétronille Uwizeye, the district director of health, community health workers will also be enlightened on issues like hygiene, fighting malnutrition in families and tackling infant and maternal mortality. According to the interim 2007/2008 demographic health survey, infant mortality stands at 62 per 1,000 live births and at 103 per 1,000 in children under five years. The 2005 demographic health survey puts the figure of maternal mortality at 750 per 100,000 mothers. Reports by Bonny Mukombozi, Paul Ntambara and Sam Nkurunziza