Medics urged to assert their role in improving healthcare

The Minister for Health, Dr Diane Gashumba, has called on medics to play their role in saving the lives of Rwandans. Dr Gashumba made the call last Friday during deployment of medical interns to different hospitals across the country.

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

The Minister for Health, Dr Diane Gashumba, has called on medics to play their role in saving the lives of Rwandans.

Dr Gashumba made the call last Friday during deployment of medical interns to different hospitals across the country.

She urged the interns to embark on their new journey and undertake their duties with hard work and determination.

"Now that you have completed your studies, I urge you to work hard and, most importantly, make efforts to learn,” she added.

Gashumba applauded the efforts of the interns, saying that improving people’s lives as a profession is a fulfilling call.

"This is quite a challenging profession that requires passion and strong love for it. However, regardless of the challenges, it’s a fulfilling call to be able to improve people’s lives,” the minister said.

The deployment of the medical interns comes barely a week after the Ministry of Health dispatched 90 medics, including 44 doctors (general practitioners), to serve at provincial and district hospitals and 46 specialists to referral hospitals.

Dr Patrick Ndimubanzi, the minister of state for public health and primary healthcare, urged the medics to be solution-oriented.

"We need new blood in the health sector. Rwandans expect solutions from you, not problems, be result-oriented,” he said.

The new medics come in as an addition to the 1,392 doctors and 10,795 nurses operating in the country’s health sector.

The interns expressed gratitude for being allowed to add their skills and expertise to the health sector.

"It is our delight to build our nation through improving health. We will do all in our means to deliver perfect medical services,” said Patience Nkusi, one of the interns.

Up to 92 medical interns were deployed to different hospitals across the country. They will serve for a year before qualifying as full doctors.

Among the interns, 83 graduated in Medicine from the University of Rwanda, while nine completed their studies abroad.

The interns will serve in 22 hospitals, including referral, provincial and district hospitals, and private hospitals such as Hopital La Croix du Sud and King Faisal Hospital, Kigali.

The doctors deployed last week included 46 specialists in psychiatrics, pediatricians, gynaecologists and internists.

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