NCPD and Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) come up with a new facility to improve medical services for people with disabilities

The National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) and Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) have accepted a new facility that will improve medical services for people with disabilities.

Oswald Tuyizere, the Director General of the National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), welcomed the refurbishing of the facility.

The facility is part of Gahini Rehabilitation Centre, located in Gahini Sector, Kayonza District which was constructed in collaboration with the Gahini Anglican Diocese and a German organisation, Christian Blind Mission (CBM).

According to officials, the construction of the complex alone cost Rwf1.5 billion, where as new equipment cost Rwf 750 million.

It has 46 rooms for inpatients as well as six VIP rooms.

The completion of the new complex comes with specialised services like physiotherapy, occupational therapy, orthopaedic surgery, orthopaedic laboratory, client hostels, laundry, kitchen and woodwork services.

Inspite of existence of a much smaller centre for decades, they were importing artificial human limbs, which, with the new facility, they will now be producing highly quality prosthetics which they expect to be exporting.

For effectiveness, employees at the centre will also conduct community outreach, and visit persons with disabilities from their communities once a week in order to follow up on different conditions.

The Bishop of Gahini Anglican Diocese, Alexis Bilindabagabo, said, “Advocacy is exceptionally important, wherever you are, whatever you can do, if we do advocacy, we can go far.”

Oswald Tuyizere, said, “I can attest that this is the first centre of its kind in the region.”

He further added, promising to maximise the facility to make sure that it benefits as many members as possible.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Jean Pierre Nyemazi, said, "the ministry and the management of the centre will discuss how medical students can be trained from the facility."

Nyemazi also confirmed that there are ongoing talks, and ‘very soon’, people with disability will use Mutuelle de Santé to get prosthetics, something they have been lacking behind.

He continued saying that, "the services provided at the centre are so perfect that they will not only benefit the health sector, but also boost education."