Igihe

Author: b_igi_adm1n

  • Senior Health Officials Undergo Harvard Course

    Forty-one faculty and students from Burundi, Haiti, Rwanda, and the United States have gathered in Rwinkwavu, Kayonza District to launch a Global Health Delivery course.

    The course is led by Harvard Medical School faculty in conjunction with the Ministry of Health of Rwanda.

    The Global Health Delivery is a course that utilizes a novel educational framework to address the global burden of disease and its complex inter-related social determinants, with the aim of empowering a new generation of leaders in the health sector to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice in health care delivery.

    In the course, senior health officials are taught how to think strategically and broadly when it comes to designing plans and programs for different health care interventions.

    Minister of Health, Dr. Agnes Binagwaho, also a Senior Lecturer at Harvard Medical School, described the course as an example of authentic and effective capacity building for the health sector, meant to break the vicious cycle of poverty and disease.

    “This program is about learning what happened in other countries, comparing notes and sharing best practices and how our own Health officials can deliver better services,” the Minister said.

    This is the first time Harvard Medical School is conducting this course out of their Boston campus.

    The course will be provided twice a year in Rwanda for students coming from across the world.

    “Rwanda has been chosen because we have a lot of good innovations to share, like the role of Community Health Workers, functioning of Mutuelle de santé and Performance Based Financing and, all the success we had in maternal child survival.

    So it’s a great opportunity to have because to bring 40 Rwandans and be taught by Harvard professors is a dream,” the Minister said.

    In this rigorous and stimulating scholarly environment, participants will learn from international case studies and from one another by analyzing case studies from around the world that detail the design, operations, and outcomes of projects to improve health care delivery in resource-poor settings.

    “To build a discipline of global health, research universities need to work with the real experts: those who deliver services,” said Paul Farmer, Chair of Harvard’s Department of Global Health and Social Medicine and course faculty member.

    The course will be offered twice per year, with the goal of enrolling all central level leaders in the Ministry of Health, as well as program managers and students from around the world.

    New case studies will be developed in the coming years to disseminate innovations in Rwanda’s health sector and cultivate Rwandan leaders in the emerging discipline of Global Health Delivery.

    The Harvard-affiliated non-governmental organization Partners In Health Inshuti Mu Buzima provided logistical support and funding for the pilot version of the course.

    The Ministry of Health availed the Rwinkwavu Training Center, which for five days has become a campus of Harvard.

    Jean de Dieu Ngirabega, Director General of Clinical Services, who is a student in the course, commented, “I am thrilled to learn about a new way of conceptualizing service delivery.”

    ENDS

  • President Kagame Attends IFAD Governing Council

    Rwanda President Paul Kagame has been invited to attend the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) governing council sitting in Rome from February 22-23, 2012.

    Kagame will attend the 35th session of the governing council and is scheduled to hold a joint press conference tomorrow with the IFAD president that will explore the urgent need to enhance smallholder farmers’ resilience to climate change.

    The 35th session of governing council of IFAD is expected to attract world leaders, international personalities, policymakers, academics and most importantly, farmer representatives.

    According to the press release on the IFAD official website, President Kagame leads the seven-man keynote speakers that also includes Bill Gates co-chair Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

    Others include Andrea Riccardi the Italian minister for International Cooperation and Integration Policies, Joseph Boakai, Liberian Vice President and Akinwunmi Ayo Adesina the Nigerian Minister of Agriculture.

    President Kagame’s address will explore how climate-smart agriculture can feed a growing world population.

    While Bill Gates will share his perspective on the importance of agriculture and how sustainable productivity improvements can reduce poverty in developing countries.

    He will challenge both global players and national governments to adopt a new approach to supporting smallholder farmers.

    Joseph Boakai,the Liberian Vice President will call for strengthening investments in agricultural research and enhancing innovative solutions for sustainable agriculture while Akinwunmi Ayo Adesina, Nigerian Minister of Agriculture will talk about the challenges ahead and how to create a supportive environment to unleash the potential of smallholder farmers.

    The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) works with poor rural people to enable them to grow and sell more food, increase their incomes and determine the direction of their own lives.

    Since 1978, IFAD has invested about US$13.7 billion in grants and low-interest loans to developing countries through projects empowering about 405 million people to break out of poverty, thereby helping to create vibrant rural communities.

    IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialized UN agency based in Rome the United Nation’s food and agricultural hub.

    It is a unique partnership of 167 members from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), other developing countries and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

    ENDS

  • Woman Gives Birth in Market

    An unidentified young woman in her early 20’s suddenly got into labour pain and gave birth to a baby boy in the middle of an overcrowded market at Kacyiru in the evening of last Friday.

    the young woman had been pregnant was leaving the market after buying groceries when suddenly she yelled for help after developing instant labour pain. It was too late to take her to the hospital but delivered her baby amidist an onlooking crowd and helped by good Samaritans and later an ambulance arrived and took her to Kacyiru hospital.

    An eye witness Mukarungwa Mariah a fruits and vegetable vendor at the market narrated to IGIHE.com what transpired.

    Mukarungwa says she was attending to a customer at her stall in the market when she suddenly heard the young woman screming for help, “I thought the woman had been robbed but only to find her standing by herself in the middle of the road looking terrified. I reached to incquire what had happened. However, she continued calling for help.”

    The young woman in labour had dropped all her groceries in the middle of the road. While continuously screaming “help me, help me, my child is coming, help me someone please I can’t move, help me” In a literally a few seconds the terrified girl was surrounded by a circle of curious onlookers.

    Another witness at the scene Kayigema Gertuda also a market vendor approached the girl, saw she was already in labour pain, she proceeded to call some gentleman to come help carry the young woman.

    Sebishwi Bernard and Mahoro Placid were a few of the good Samaritans whom helped the young mother. They both helped carry the girl to a secure and dust free stall at the market where they placed her on African fabric wrappers (kitenge) that women contributed to cushion on the floor.

    Sebishwi a witness at the scene said that he has seen the young woman often but does not know her name.He also noted that she is young, “everything happened so fast, I had wanted to call the police but the women said it was already too late and we must carry her to somewhere clean and out of the public view.”

    Mahoro is a housemaid, he was buying groceries when the incident happened, he said he agreed to help because he sympathised with the young woman,“what if that were to have happened to my mother, I would hope someone would help her as I have done.”

    Mahoro was tasked to run to the hospital and get help, while the women stood surrounding the young mother in labour with wrappers held high in form of a cubicle providing ample privacy.

    An elderly woman identified as Kayigema Gertude also a local vendor said she is a mother of five. She was in charge of soothing the young mother telling her and other helpers what to do.

    Kayigema said, “in my home district of Gisozi there are often such incidents where expectant women are caught in similar situations. I have been there for at least three that is how I knew her labour was in advanced stage to be taken without an ambulance.”

    Incidentally a doctor stationed at Kacyiru hospital located near the police station arrived at the scene. He immediately cut the umbilical cord and made sure the young mother and baby were in good health before placing them in an ambulance to the hospital.

  • U.S Court to try Rwandan Genocide Fugitive

    A Rwandan genocide fugitive Beatrice Munyenyezi, 41, will appear this Wednesday, February 22, 2012 before the federal court in New Hampshire in the United States of America.

    Beatrice Munyenyezi is accused of ordering the rape and murder of ethnic Tutsis in Butare during the 1994 genocide. That she lied during her application to immigrate to the United States in 1995 where she obtained citizenship in 2003.

    Most witnesses that come from Rwanda, do not speak English. Three Kinyarwanda speaking interpreters were hired and they are housed.
    Court staff will not reveal their names or other information about them.

    Many court documents about the case have been kept secret, and many trips taken by lawyers David Ruoff and Mark Howard in Rwanda to prepare for trial.

    To detect the lies of Munyenyezi on applications for immigration and naturalization in the US, prosecutors must demonstrate her role in the genocide against the Tutsis.

    If found guilty, she will be deported to Rwanda and probably spend the rest of his life in prison. But, she still denies the charges.

    In a recent court order, Steven McAuliffe, Chief Justice, described the case as being particularly complex, which means “navigate through a sea of bureaucratic obstacles,”he said.

    Court documents show that steps were taken to ensure the safety of Rwandan witnesses, including an agreement between two parties on the passport applications of defense witnesses so that they are submitted together with the Government Rwanda to hide their identities.

    Munyenyezi has been detained since June 2010. Justice searched her home in Manchester, New Hampshire, where some of her property; computer, mobile phone, her American citizenship card and her books were confiscated.

    Munyenyezi is married to Arsene Shalom Nhahobali, previously a commando in Habyarimana’s protection force (ex-FAR). The latter also appeared before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha.

  • Mother Strangles to Death Newly Born Baby

    Police in Rulindo district is holding Domina Mukeshimana for deliberately strangling to death her newly born baby. Mukeshimana is currently detained at the District Police Unit head quarters.

    According to Police’s investigations in Rulindo, community health workers informed Police about a dead body of a new born baby and when taken to the Hospital for post-mortem, the exams finally revealed that, the baby had been strangled.

    Police sources noted that Mukeshimana had earlier been advised by community health workers to go for prenatal check up after they discovered she was pregnant.

    Mukeshimana is also said to have kept her pregnancy a secret not until yesterday when she gave birth to a live baby only to murder the baby minutes after its birth.

    After slaying an innocent baby boy, Mukeshimana called in neighbours to help her explaining she had given birth to a dead baby, a trick residents close to suspect’s home said was intended by the murderer to get away with getting discovered.

    Asked why she killed her own baby, Mukeshimana denied any prior intentions to murder her own baby but claimed it was already dead at birth.

    Police spokesperson superintendent Theos Badege condemned the crime saying that no one had the right to take life. Superintendent Badege said that there was no excuse whatsoever for Mukeshimana to strangle to death her own baby.

    “It’s a shame that Mukeshimana loses a child and will probably languish in jail for so many years,” Badege said.

    “People shouldn’t think of terminating lives of new born babies on grounds that they dont have financial means to cater for them as there are several support programs in place for the helpless people”, Badege added.

    He urged people to avoid engaging in relationships that will later lead them to commit crimes.

    Subject to provisions of Article 315 of the Rwanda Penal Code, Mukeshimana is liable to life imprisonment.

  • Congolese Man Arrested Smuggling Castelite into Rwanda

    Police in Rubavu district bordering DRC on Sunday arrested a Congolese national identified as sobeka Murezi 28 for attempting to smuggle 1,726 kilograms of castelite into Rwanda.
    sobeka.jpg
    Sobeka was arrested at about 11PM during Police operation at the border post (Grande barrière) and seized precious stones in a Congolese registered car CG8675AB19 of model-Land Cruiser driven by Sobeka while attempting to cross into Rwanda.

    Prior to the Search opreation, Police suspected the vehicle was carrying mineral stones just like in previous several cases where Congolese nationals used similar vehicles in smuggling.

    Sobeka is currently held at Gisenyi Police Station while the vehicle and the mineral stones are at the Revenue Protection Department (RPD). Sobeka said he had been hired to bring the mineral to Rwanda by Charlotte Nyirakanyana also a Congolese national.

    During the arrest, the suspect was found in no possession of either a personal identity card or a driving permit.

    Police spokesperson Superintendent Theos Badege noted that while smugglers apply different tactics to siphon goods into and out of the country, Police has equally deployed several strategies to deal with them.

    “Police officers and Rwanda Revenue Authority personnel have undergone thorough training to deal with smuggling offenses,” Superintendent Badege said.

    Supt. Badege noted, “Smuggling affects economic welfare of the country as taxes are lost in the process. Business people should conduct business legally and avoid losing and serve jail time if apprehended by security forces. Collective efforts especially through information sharing are important in curbing smuggling”.

    Last year Rwanda returned 80 tones of smuggled mineral resources to the Democratic Republic of Congo that had been smuggled into the country.

  • Foreign Films Premiered In Rwanda

    One of the African popular Film Directors Kollo Daniel Sanou will be screening his film “The burden of the oath” for the first time in Rwanda.

    It is also the first time this Film director has premiered his film outside Burkina Faso on which will take place Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at Ishyo Center, Kacyiru Sector.
    Kollo Daniel SANOU’S latest film “Tasuma” translated as “Fire” was also screened last Tuesday February 7th, at the same venue where it received huge reviews.

    Due to great reviews from the Rwandan public, the cultural center will be showing for the second time Kollo Daniel Sanou film.

    The director’s first screened movies in Rwanda like “Fire” was a tragic comedy, where as “THE BURDEN OF THE OATH” is a 90 minute fictional West African tragedy in the style of Greek drama.

    The film is a story about two friends Nyama and Sibiri, who become members of the “Dozo” which is a mythical brotherhood of hunters active in West Africa.
    The two become members by taking an oath to respect its rules and following the tradition of the brotherhood the two men go hunting after their initiation.

    Tragedy strike in the form of unrequited love, Sibiri’s who has been in love with Nyman’s wife throws his friend into a well, and tells the villagers a false story that Nyama died, Yet Nyama succeeds in escaping the wet tomb and finds shelter at a Christian mission who takes care of him returns to his village after having believed dead.

    ENDS

  • Fear of Witch Acts hit Nyabivumu Residents

    Residents of Nyabivumu cell, Gasaka sector in Nyamagabe district are filled with fear over an unknown person who slaughtered a black hen on a certain grave during the night.

    The grave on which the witch act was done is located in a graveyard known as ‘Mu dusego’ said to have been where a woman believed to have been killed by the thunder was buried.

    Angelique Uwineza, residing near the graveyard, says that it was the first time to see it.

    She said, “The act was first reported by people who came in the morning to dig another grave and called us; actually, there was a black slaughtered hen, a used knife and an elephant grass tree beside and blood.”

    Marta Nyirakamana and Alphonse Nyamanyoni, above 70, said that since time immemorial, there was no such act and emphasized on reporting the matter to relevant authorities.

    Nyamanyoni said, “It’s worrying, we have to inform the authorities; though they say the late was killed by thunder, she might have died of witchcraft.”

    Nyirakamana lauded him saying that it is the first time to see such witch acts.

    She said, “We have been living here for many years and it has never happened in our area and I don’t think it has ever happened in Rwandan culture, this must be a foreign witch.”

    Names and history of the said deceased woman remained unknown for IGIHE.com as no names were scripted on the grave and eye witness could not disclose her identity.

    ENDS

  • Masaka Residents Welcome New Road

    The residents of Masaka Sector in Kicukiro District, welcomes the new
    road on which the construction work has began.

    This road, which extends to over 6.3 km, starts from the foods and beverages plant of Inyange Industries up to Health Center in Masaka.

    It is the road that was recently announced by Prime minister as one of the priority roads to be constructed. It is now constructed by support from the Chinese government.

    Ezekiel Mugiraneza, a resident of this area, greatly appreciated the government’s plans. He said the construction of this road is an open door for investors and people will find better employment opportunities.

    The Mayor of Kicukiro Paul Jules Ndamage, said that the construction of this road is within the framework of the plan of the city of Kigali.

    ENDS

  • EAC Partner States Endorse Vehicle Load Control Bill

    A multi-sectoral meeting in Nairobi involving Ministers from the EAC Partner States endorsed a Bill that seeks to reduce incidences of overloading on the region’s road network.

    The Bill, titled EAC Vehicle Load Control Bill, 2012 was discussed all of this week by EAC Partner State technocrats and Ministers responsible for Roads, Transport, Trade, EAC Affairs and Judicial Affairs.

    It aims to give legal force to an agreement reached last year among EAC Partner States that sets the axle load limit to 56 tonnes for commercial vehicles plying the regional road network.

    The Bill is now due for consideration by the EAC Council of Ministers before it is ultimately forwarded to the East African Legislative Assembly for debate and enactment into a Community law which shall be applicable in all the Partner States.

    If passed, the Bill would mean payments of overloading fees are done administratively through prepaid coupons or electronic transfers while eliminating payment through the court systems, among others.

    With a harmonized legal regime to govern vehicle loads in the region, businesses and governments in the EAC stand to register an estimated one billion dollars in annual savings from reduced transportation and maintenance costs respectively, according to the EAC Deputy Secretary General (Planning and Infrastructure) Dr. Enos Bukuku.

    The EAC Deputy Secretary General noted that as world markets become progressively liberalized, it would be those markets that have the lowest transport and logistics costs that will attract investors, industrialists and new capital inflows among others.

    In addition to lowering the cost of doing business in the region, governments in the region stand to benefit from the improved regional axle load control oversight procedures and the regional ICT connectivity of the weigh scales which the Bill envisages.