RUYIGI January 23rd (ABP) – The Minister of National Solidarity, Social Affairs, Human Rights and Gender, Imelde Sabushimike, visited Ruyigi province on Tuesday, January 17. During the visit, the major points that marked the exchanges between the Minister and the people focused above all on the problems that exist within the public service mutual fund and the shortcomings in the services they offer to its affiliates, problems encountered by former civil servants claiming their pensions, cheating that takes place in health centers in remote rural areas and serious cases of destitution that require urgent assistance from that ministry.
In her welcoming address, the Governor of Ruyigi, Mrs. Emerencienne Tabu, drew up the overall situation, stressing that this visit came at the right time, given that several cases of people requiring urgent assistance and support and possessing papers which certify their indigence go to her office, and that they sometimes return without a solution to their problem. The governor asked if the ministry is aware of that situation, and to provide clarification on the categories of people and the kinds of assistance provided by that ministry.
In his speech, Minister Sabushimike invited the acting director of the public service mutual fund to answer questions concerning her institution.
Doctor Marie Noëlla indicated that the public service mutual fund is currently facing a kind of embezzlement on the part of the nursing staff of certain health centers and pharmacies, who draw up lists of medicines supposedly offered to the public but that in reality those lists are fictitious and that those drugs are sold. She also acknowledged that certain drugs commonly referred to as specialties may from time to time experience a momentary shortage, but that this problem is being curbed and will not occur again in the future.
On the question of the categories of people assisted by that ministry, the minister said that an indigent is first identified in the community by the neighbors and the administration as being the most deprived and incapable of making a termination of any kind whether it be.
A second step is to inventory the most urgent food and non-food needs and finally the supply of everything he or she needs. No need, according to that person in authority, to imagine or pretend to catch the eye.
However, the Minister extended her congratulations to the families who assist people and participate in the resilience of communities in situations of extreme need without, however, waiting for the assistance of stakeholders outside their communities.
To the questions which concern the former affiliates of the INSS and the ONPR who are now retired, the Minister asked everyone to make a good inventory of their cases in order to better identify each case to be dealt with, since the problems are varied and deserve to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
Mrs. Sabushimike promised that she is available to serve the population whenever needed.