The Minister of Health Dr Sabin Nsanzimana has started a two-day working visit to the Southern Province to evaluate primary and secondary healthcare facilities. His tour started in Nyanza District, where he visited Nyamiyaga Health Centre, Gati and Gasoro Health Posts, as well as Nyanza District Hospital. ALSO READ: How 30 years of community health workers have changed access to care The facilities support the provision of health services in Nyanza from the primary care level to specialised care. During the tour, Nsanzimana said the visit provided an opportunity to assess service quality and engage directly with frontline medical personnel, particularly CHWs. He added that CHWs are the backbone of Rwanda’s health system. ALSO READ: Community health workers to start screening high blood pressure “Decentralised, quality care remains a top priority,” he said. Community Health Workers (CHWs), Health Posts and Health Centres have significantly improved local healthcare access, reducing travel times by up to 45 minutes and managing up to 95 per cent of healthcare service demand. The CHW programme was established in 1995 with about 12,000 volunteers whose primary role was to educate communities and encourage people to seek care at health facilities. Three decades later, it has grown into a nationwide network of more than 58,500 community health workers delivering services ranging from maternal and child healthcare to disease prevention, treatment and referrals at the community level. The minister also met students from various schools celebrating the start of the new academic year. ALSO READ: Health minister warns youth against rising vaping trend He encouraged the youth to remain physically active and avoid drugs, tobacco, vapes and alcohol, substances that impair brain development and cause chronic illness. Reminding the students that they “only have one body,” he advised them to resist negative peer pressure and make choices that represent a lifelong investment in themselves, their families and the nation. Nsanzimana is expected to continue the tour in Huye District.
