On October 13, 2021, Laurence Uwimana, a resident of Musovu cell, Juru Sector, Bugesera District, safely delivered a baby at Musovu Second-Generation Health Post (SGHP). The mother of four was grateful, but she reflected on her first delivery experience when she struggled in her way going to Gatarara Health Centre to give birth to twins. The journey from her home to the health centre was long and time-consuming and whenever she headed there for medical services, she would spend a lot of money on transport and meals which would cause her family some financial constraints. Unlike in the past, today she is able to easily access medical services at the nearest place, Musovu SGHP, where she walks for less than thirty minutes. The facility has modern medical equiment. “This health post is home. I arrived here at 12p.m and at 3:30p.m, I delivered my baby safely. I am so thankful to those who brought this health post in our area. It provides good services,” she said. Laurence is among many Rwandans who benefitted from different SGHPs as well as other health posts established by Society for Family Health (SFH) Rwanda and its partners. They have constructed and equipped 179 health posts countrywide of which 21 were upgraded to SGHPs that offer special services such as maternity, laboratory services, dental and ophthalmology. On this, SHF Rwanda has collaborated with the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its program to expand health posts at cell level to ensure availability of healthcare services for all through financial protection mechanisms and equitable distribution of health facilities at the grassroots. To provide proper and adequate health care as close to the village as possible, the ministry of health with the support of different partners established 1,117 health posts in underserved communities (remote areas) in Rwanda. The 179 health posts aredistributed in Bugesera, Rwamagana, Kirehe, Gatsibo, Nyagatare, Gicumbi, Kamonyi, Burera, Gakenke, Gasabo, Nyanza, Gisagara, Nyaruguru Districts. According to Manasseh Gihana Wandera, the Executive Director of SFH, these health posts serve as a link between community health workers and health centres and have greatly contributed to cutting the travel distance for Rwanda’s population thus easing access to essential healthcare services. Epiphania Ayinkamiye, a resident of Murama cell, Nyamata Sector in Bugesera district who accesses medical services at Kagasa SGHP said that it has helped her because it is near, adding that she no longer spends much time and money like before when she used to walk to Nyamata Health Centre and queue for long time due to a high number of patients who were seeking medical services. She revealed that at Kagasa SGHP, she has been able to be treated for a stomach disease when she had tried other places and failed. Divine Muregeza, the head of this heath post says that since October 2019 when it started operating, they have seen a significant decrease in diarrhoea and malaria infections. She added, “Patients were around 30 to 40 per day, but as we kept sensitizing them, they grew to 60 which means that they have understood the need of accessing medical services at the health post instead of using traditional medicines.” Callixte Sibomana, a resident in Mishungero cell, Nyabimata Sector in Nyaruguru District where SHF has established an SGHP said that it has abridged the residents’ journeys to where they could access medical services, adding that services like dental and eye check-up as well as screening are also being accessed nearby. He declared that the health post will help sustain their wellbeing since they have nurses nearby, adding that Mishungero residents will no longer worry about the time they take to deliver a sick person at the health centre. Marie Claire Nyirakanyana, the Director of Nyabimata Health Centre said that Mishungero SGHP will keep helping in reducing infant and maternal mortality rate as well as other deaths that result from lack of easy access to medical services. She declared that it has also shortened queues at the health centre hence improved the quality of services. SFH Rwanda seeks to partner with different funders to establish more health posts. Currently, 15 SGHPs are under construction in Nyaruguru, Kirehe, Burera, Musanze and Rubavu Districts.
