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Strengthening the provision of quality health care and services at all levels, one of the major activities carried out by the Health Ministry

ByWebmaster

Feb 3, 2023

BUJUMBURA February 2nd (ABP) – The Minister of Public Health and the Fight against AIDS, Mrs. Sylvie Nzeyimana, presented, on Monday January 31, 2023 in Bujumbura, the major activities carried out during the second quarter of 2022-2023. These include the strengthening of quality care and quality services (preventive, curative, promotional and of rehabilitation) at all levels of the health system.

For the strengthening of quality health care and services, Minister Nzeyimana indicated that the Prince Louis Rwagasore Hospital has acquired a cystoscope and its accessories with a cold light generator and the regional hospitals of Gitega, Bururi and Ngozi on their side are equipped with oxygen production units with a total value of 3,000,000,000 BIF with funding from UNICEF. She also said that the province of Gitega has been equipped with 55 motorcycles to strengthen services at the community level as part of the – Twiteho Amagara – project funded by the European Union via Cordaid.

With regard to blood transfusion, the national blood transfusion center (CNTS) collected and tested 26,134 bags out of a quarterly target of 25,500 blood bags (i.e. more than 100% of forecasts), hospitals supplied up to 21,928 blood bags (i.e. more than 100% of the planned target), while seven blood banks were installed in the hospitals of Bubanza, Mpanda, Gihanga, Gashoho, Muyinga, Giteranyi, and Buhiga, with a value of 49,000 euros or 110,206,390 BIF on financing from the European Union, she indicated.

Minister Nzeyimana also indicated that the ministry has received donations of medicines and medical equipment, among others, the donation from the World Health Organization (WHO) of 3,000,000,000 BIF intended for communal hospitals, the care center of Covid-19 in Mudubugu, the public health emergency operations center and the national institute of public health (INSP), adding that another donation was offered by the People’s Republic of China for the Prince Regent Charles Hospital and the hospitals of Mpanda and Gitega. Mrs. Nzeyimana Sylvie did not fail to point out that a cleft lip operation campaign took place at the Prince Louis Rwagasore clinic, and that 54 patients were operated on with the support of the Bosco Foundation. The same hospital hosted a cataract surgery campaign in collaboration with the international foundation, Al Basar and the Benna association for culture and development. Some 500 patients have been operated on for cataracts.

As for the nutrition and health of mothers and children, Minister Nzeyimana indicated that testing and treatment activities for cases of malnutrition in children under five, pregnant and lactating women are continued every Thursday in all the country’s health centers as part of the implementation of the zero-malnutrition campaign for children under five, led by the First Lady of the country.

An indoor spraying campaign in 260,015 households in 11 communes of Ngozi and Muyinga provinces was organized and implemented as part of the prevention and fight against malaria, she said, adding that this activity cost 6,664,650,061 BIF financed by the World Bank. She also mentioned that a leprosy testing campaign was organized in the endemic provinces of that disease, namely Rutana, Makamba, Rumonge and Cibitoke.

Minister Nzeyimana also indicated that the said ministry, through the Burundi Medicines Purchasing Center, CAMEBU, has undertaken, in addition to an active distribution of medicines in the 46 health districts, the construction of a storage warehouse for medicines in the province of Gitega, with a capacity of 16,000 m3.