GITEGA December 15th (ABP) – The permanent commission of the Burundian Senate responsible for issues relating to social affairs, sport, youth and culture has issued opinions and considerations in the face of the challenges observed in certain hospital structures of the office provincial health (BPS) of Gitega, in the care centers for psychomotor disabled people of Gitega as well as in certain nature reserves in the Kirundo and Kayanza provinces.
They made their remarks heard, Wednesday December 13, 2023, in their hemicycle in Gitega (center of the country), during a plenary session led by the first vice-president of the senate, Mrs. Denise Ndadaye. That session focused on sharing the reports resulting from the raids that those senators carried out during their parliamentary recess in November 2023 in the services indicated above.
Speaking on the challenges faced in the Gitega BPS, the senators deplored the presence of only one mental care center in Gitega, the political capital of the country. They reported with regret that that same center does not welcome members of the civil service mutual insurance due to the non-existence of a contract binding the two institutions.
At Kibuye hospital, senators reported that there is the risk of closing the care service for children suffering from hydrocephalus and eye cancer, following the planned departure of the foreign medical profession soon.
Furthermore, the senators reported the poor reception of public service mutual insurance providers towards clients.
In the area of care for the physically disabled, the senators reported that the national equipment and rehabilitation center (CNAR) in Gitega is faced with a plethora of patients (especially children), and an insufficiency of qualified personnel and orthopedic equipment and the inability of patients to pay the costs of care. They also reported a need for appropriate toilets for the disabled.
As for the centers for the psychomotorly disabled, the senators who are members of the said commission reported the need for appropriate paths for that category of people, particularly in school environments; and the allocation of infirmaries to schools that accommodate that category of students.
In the environment sector, the senators in question noted the presence of a mineral exploitation company in the Murehe nature reserve, located in Kayanza province, with the authorization of the ministry responsible for the environment in its attributions, even though it has no competence. Thus, they recommended avoiding overlapping ministries on that issue.
To address all the challenges listed above and other related issues, the senators decided to invite three ministers to shed light on them and propose related solutions. The said ministers are the one responsible for health, the one in charge of human rights and the one in charge of the environment.