Members of Parliament (MPs) have backed the prioritisation of needed medical equipment at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), as well as routine vaccination of children in the next fiscal year. They made the observations on Wednesday, May 19 during the 2021/2022 budget hearing as the Ministry of Health and its affiliated entities were presenting their proposed spending for the next fiscal year. Zachée Iyakaremye, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, said that at least Rwf1.6 billion is needed for procurement of vaccines and vaccine devices for routine immunisation against diseases. However, only half of it has been provided for in the budget for the next fiscal year. The over Rwf800 million funding gap could undermine the gains that the country has made in vaccination coverage over the recent years, the ministry warned. Sustained vaccination has led to the reduction in morbidity and mortality rate among children under five years. “Vaccination is an important programme, and we do not want to undo the gains we have achieved so far,” Iyakaremye observed. The ministry is also keen on acquiring a new Computerised Tomography Scanner (CT scan) for CHUK, saying that the one available, which was procured 12-years ago is old and costly to maintain. Iyakaremye told lawmakers that a new CT scan for CHUK would cost over Rwf1 billion, but, this money was not allocated in the proposed budget. The equipment consists of a medical imaging technique used in radiology to allow doctors to get detailed images of parts inside the body, noninvasively, for diagnostic purposes. If the new equipment is not bought, CHUK will not be able to provide quality healthcare services to patients, the officials said. CHUK Director-General, Prof. Theobald Hategekimana said that the main issue that needs urgent response is the old CT scan. The CT scan we have has been working day and night for 12 years, adding that it had been serving many patients coming from different parts of the country. “We have been doing many CT scans using this equipment such that it is sometimes dysfunctional, and its maintenance cost is Rwf120 million per year,” he said. “CT scan is a key device for the health services we offer to patients who are transferred from different parts of the country to CHUK to receive advanced treatment.” Iyakaremye added that there’s need to upgrade the neonatal intensive care unit at CHUK, particularly to take care of the health of premature babies. A financial outlay of over Rwf350 million is needed to carry out this activity. “There are premature babies who come from all provinces of the country who need neonatal care. The required equipment enables us to offer them lifesaving treatment,” Hategekimana said. MP Odette Uwamariya said that premature newborns are very sensitive and their life is at high risk in case they lack quality healthcare. “Quality neonatal care is crucial for saving the lives of premature babies,” she said, backing the ministry’s request. Regarding the financing deficit in routine vaccination, she said that it should be addressed for protection against diseases. “Prevention is better than cure... if people are not inoculated, we will witness a crisis,” she said. MP Damien Nyabyenda said that the old CT scan not only results in high expenses in terms of maintenance, but also causes delays in medical service provision to patients in case it is not working. In case there are no readily available funds to purchase the new equipment, Nyabyenda proposed that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning helps CHUK to get a loan and buy it and then pay for it in instalments using the annual estimated Rwf120 million it spends on repairing the old one.
