Health minister Dr Jean Damascene Ntawukuliryayo has raised concern over ‘quack’ medical students, saying they could lead to unprofessional medics. Dr Ntawukuliryayo who addressed a press conference yesterday at the Treatment and Research Aids Centre (TRAC) was referring to a growing number of students who attend evening medical lectures, which concentrate on theory and ignore the practical bit. Some medics are also attending such lessons, which the minister warned could lead to provision of insufficient health services to the people. “How can someone study two, three hours per day, and expect to graduate as a professional medical personnel?” Ntawukuliryayo queried. He said that even online medical studies are unreliable despite the global hi-tech revolution that enables someone to pursue studies through internet. “Medical personnel need to do practical work of what they study. I don’t think it can be possible for them to do it online,” he charged. Currently, the Ministry of Health, with the help from the Rwanda National Examination Council (RNEC), is scrutinising all nurses’ qualifications in a countrywide exercise. On population increase that surpasses national economy, Dr Ntawukuliryayo said: “If we don’t tackle it, whatever we do under the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS) would be hampered, since population control is a catalyst for that.” He however said that this year his ministry has registered over 2.7 million people in national family planning campaign unlike in the previous years. Statistics from the ministry show that the number of families engaged in family planning methods were between a million and half two years ago. Among other achievements is that 85.7 percent of pregnant mothers get medical checkups and 53.8 percent deliver their newborns at medical centres. Several health centres around the nation have also been built such as Kibirizi and Gitwe Hospitals in Gisagara and Ruhango Districts, Southern Province respectively. Dr Ntawukuliryayo pointed out the indoor spray residual in Kigali City districts as among this year’s achievements to be extended next January to other upcountry districts.Ends
