Rwf350million Medicalized Health Centre to improve maternal healthcare at Mahama Refugee Camp

By Elias HAKIZIMANA.

Mothers who used to make kilometers from Mahama Refugee Camp in Kirehe district will access Caesarean operation inside the camp, thanks to the efforts of SCI Rwanda and partners to build and equip the Mahama Refugee Camp II Medicalized Health Center.

The facility that was inaugurated on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, has the value worth Rwf 350 million. It becomes the 8th of its kind nationwide, and the 1st in Kirehe district and is expected to drastically reduce referral cases.

The mothers who have recently given birth at the new facility said it saved them from walking a long distance from the camp to Kirehe district hospital to get Caesarean operation while giving birth, which could result to maternal deaths or to give birth to handicapped babies.

Jeannette MINANI, 31, one of the Burundian refugees at Mahama Refugee Camp has recently got Caesarean operation and gave birth to a healthy baby boy at the new facility. She narrates how her first child was born tired and handicapped because she arrived at Kirehe district hospital after a long journey from the camp, and herself was tired.

“My first born is always seated in a wheelchair because he was tired when I arrived at Kirehe district hospital, they used hard materials to help me deliver, which made him to come physically handicapped,” she said.

MINANI and other mothers say that they could spend much money for transport from the camp to Kirehe district hospital and it was quite difficult and impossible to get their relatives and friends to visit them because they feared the long distance and transport costs.

Oustine YUBIRE, 36, another mother who also got Caesarean operation at Mahama Refugee Camp II Medicalized Health Center two weeks ago says: “We used to make kilometers of walk to Kirehe district hospital, now I have given birth to a baby boy here at the new facility and we are health, thanks to the efforts of SCI Rwanda and its partners, we get timely Caesarean operation and no extra costs for transport, nurses and doctors give us good healthcare services and our friends and relatives can frequently come to visit us,” she says.

Joseline Mutuyimana, 23, another mother says: “When I went to Kirehe district hospital to deliver my first born, it was proven that his heart was not in a normal health condition and the doctor decided to do Caesarean operation, I could not expect life because myself was tired, I thank God to have this baby being born here, they helped me a lot to get recovered and I could perform all my activities in only two weeks after the operation,”

Zachee IYAKAREMYE, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health (MoH) commends the efforts by SCI RWANDA and other partners who successfully achieved the initiative.

“This is a very significant achievement, this health center is medicalized to the doctor’s level, it will improve healthcare for refugees in this camp and the neighbouring citizens, they will get obstetrician services, Caesarean operations and blood donation service. The facility will reduce long distance they used to make to the district hospital, and they will save the money that could go for transport,” IYAKAREMYE says while inaugurating the facility.

He adds that the long-distance mothers used to make could lead to the maternal and child mortality and mothers could take long time to get recovered from the wounds after Caesarean operation.

Maggie Korde, Country Director of SCI Rwanda and Burundi says that the facility was built and equipped for the efforts of many partners, thanking the Government of Rwanda through the Ministry of Health to accredit the health center to be medicalized.

She also thanks collective contributions from other partners to promote the well-being of Mahama Refugees and its surrounding population.

“The initial idea to medicalize the health facility began in 2019 following a recommendation by the Ministry of Health. Due to the increasing population and the demand for services from the refugees. A request was floated to SCI to integrate Comprehensive emergency obstetric Neonatal care (CEmONC) services such as cesarean sections and blood transfusion within the camp.  This would not only increase access to safe deliveries but also remove all barriers to access to safe motherhood.” Maggie said.

“Following this recommendation, we renovated our facility’s infrastructures and equipped the maternity unit with an operation theatre, and blood donation facilities with the support of UNHCR, BPRM, UNFPA, and the Japanese Embassy in Rwanda.” She added, adding that maternal mortalities have been reduced to zero.

The CEmONC center is expected to reduce the referrals to Kirehe Hospital. It will also reduce maternal morbidity and the cost by bringing the services closer to the people.

It is estimated that 140 normal deliveries are conducted in Mahama camp every month. 60 referrals due to obstetric complications are also referred to Kirehe District Hospital with 48% of these referrals resulting in Caesarian sections.

The next move according to SCI, will be to explore future linkages with partners in order to improve neonatal care and other services in this camp.

Successful renovation and equipment of the facility is due to the efforts of SCI Rwanda and other partners.

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