Kamonyi residents hail medical outreach services

KAMONYI- Residents of Runda Sector have expressed gratitude to the Korean government for donating mobile clinics. The clinics were used to provide free medical checkups and treatment, courtesy of medical experts from the Rwanda Defence Forces. Two mobile clinics were recently donated by the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH) to Rwanda Military Hospital (RMH), and were used for the first time during the Special Outreach Service at Gihara Health centre. Collete Mukantagara, a mother of a child with a heart problem, referred to the outreach program as salvation. This is salvation for my child who has been sickly for a long time. I’d had no idea she has been suffering from a heart disease until today. It’s good that they discovered the problem. Otherwise this would have claimed her life in the end,” she said. Residents said that the mobile clinics had reduced the costs of accessing medical surgery and travelling long distances to hospitals. Over 500 children, sponsored by Good Neighbours, a Korean NGO, in collaboration with various medical experts from Rwanda Military Hospital, were examined and treated . Most of the children diagnosed were ailing from dental, skin, intestinal or heart problems. Five children were diagnosed with cardiac cases and were given immediate transfers for surgery at the military hospital in Kigali. Donatha Mukarushema, Assistant Director of Gihara health centre, said that the support of RDF medics was a boost to the health outreach in the community. The expertise of various doctors has relieved us of major complex cases which we have not been able to handle due to lack of capacity, She said, adding that the health centre had also received medicine. Dr. King Kayondo, RDF medical team leader, said that the request from the community would be considered with the help of Good Neighbours Rwanda so that more communities benefit next year. Good Neighbours Country Director, Chun Hong Soo, said that education and hygiene were very important for a healthy community and nation, adding that they would continue collaborating with RMH for the medical outreach service. daniel.sabiiti@newtimes.co.rw