Medical practitioners from various health facilities across the country, Wednesday completed a three- day
course in emergency intervention and treatment of children.

The course, Emergency Triage Assessment and Treatment (ETAT), aims at improving emergency care and
treatment for children, including newborns.  

One of the instructors, Dr John Wachira, said that ETAT is a life support course that focuses on eight
conditions that kill children less than five years of age.

"This course emphasizes on a structured way of handling a sick child basing on the latest evidence-based
clinical practice guidelines on the common conditions,” Wachira explained.

He stated that some of the common illnesses among children include diarrhea, malaria, pneumonia,
malnutrition and neo-born conditions among others.

The Director of Health and Environment in Kigali City, Dr Blaise Uhagaze urged participants to be champions
of quality care and treatment.

"You are managing lives of newborns and children, some of whom may not be able to talk yet, so you need to
think fast and react quickly in emergency care and that’s the moment called ETAT,” Uhagaze told the 25
participants.

He called upon the medics to share the newly acquired skills with their colleagues so as to improve child
survival.

One of the participants, Clarisse Niwingabire, said that she has learned how to handle children in serious
conditions. 

The General Secretary of Rwanda Pediatric Association, Dr Lisine Tuyisenge, said that the nurses and
doctors who underwent the course will be able to handle children better, especially those in very poor
health conditions.

The course was funded by the Belgian Technical Cooperation (BTC) which has, so far, financed training for
300 healthcare providers.

maria.kaitesi@newtimes.co.rw