Persons with Disabilities need access to efficient healthcare delivery

By Emmanuel Hakizimana.

Persons with different disabilities in Rwanda claim poor and lack of healthcare service especially for sexual reproductive health at both public health centers and private clinics.

The issue was raised on Friday, December 2, 2022 in Kigali during a National Dialogue on Accessibility of SRHR services or Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) that brought together different entities acting for the rights and interests of persons with disabilities (PWDs) under the organization of the National Union of Disability Organizations in Rwanda (NUDOR).

Honorine Tuyishimire, a young lady who has dwarfism disability gives testimonies in an interview with The Inspirer, highlighting lack of accessible beds and counters for people with dwarfism in the hospitals.

She points out that it is difficult for them because they are short. Another challenge she mentions is lack of medical secret between deaf persons and healthcare provider who need a third party for interpretation.

“It is a huge problem for deaf persons to get services because they cannot interact directly with healthcare providers,” she says.

Lack of direct communication between a patient and a healthcare provider hinders the right to privacy of the patient and harms him/her a lot when it comes to the treatment of Sexually Transmitted Illnesses (STIs) as the patient fears to provide information on his/her disease history.

The dialogue is expected to help PDWs know their rights and and get knowledge on SRHR.

Jean Baptiste Murema, the legal advisor in NUDOR said that the discussions from the meeting will establish a way of finding solutions to the problems of persons with disabilities. He encourages employees in health sector to learn sign language to help patients get efficient services in a secret.

Donatien Bajyanama, the in-charge of Health center promotion in the ministry of health said that the government of Rwanda promotes access to healthcare for PWDs through provision of training to healthcare providers and toolkits to facilitate persons with different disabilities.

He also embarked on the buildings that need to be renovated to help people with physical disabilities using wheelchairs. Regarding non-accessible beds, Bajyanama said that the government is in the process to buy efficient beds to help people with dwarfism.

Jean Claude Mwiseneza, Executive Director of Learn Work Develop Organization says that PWDs deserve equal rights as other Rwandans.” In our current lessons to young adolescents through (‘MASENGE MBA HAFI’/ Aunt be closer to me), we tell girls that healthcare is their right,” he said.

He points out some challenges related to negative mindset of some people who rape girls and women with disabilities, noting that they have interventions in place to help them know their rights and report abuses.

Maga Juliana from FAWE Rwanda said that they have a program aiming at mobilizing girl children, especially those with disabilities teen mothers to know their Sexual Reproductive Health.

NUDOR through Make Way Programme has the objective to raise awareness for the rights of PWDs especially on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and advocating for the promotion of this right through international and national disability legal and policy frameworks, and guidelines.

The five-year programme is expected to leave PDWs informed of their rights and knowledge on SRHR.

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