Rwanda

UNDP Hands over four Ambulances to Nyabihu District-Western Province

Kigali, 8 June 2007: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) handed over 4 Land Cruiser Ambulances to the District of Nyabihu - Western province under the framework of a project undertaken from 2004 – 2007 jointly with the Government of Norway. This project aims at socio-economic reintegration in the Western Province. The overall strategy is/was to work closely with the community and facilitate the development of sector committees who will identify needs and appropriate interventions to ensure sustainable settlement.

The project initially planned the rehabilitation of the road Mazingo-Arusha, but in consultation with the various stakeholders in the project including the Ministry of Local Government, the Western Province, UNDP and the District of Nyabihu, agreed to avail 4 ambulances to serve the district of Nyabihu which had no ambulances for the 10 health centers and one hospital. The four ambulances equipped with medical and first aid facilities and one year premium insurance have a value of US$ 138,000 (about 75.5 million RWF).

The handover ceremony was part of the efforts to complement the work started some years back with the socio-economic reintegration project in the Western Province. UNDP has supported the construction of 2,500 houses in the resettlement sites, provided energy cooking stoves and solar energy for around 500 homes in the resettlement site of Arusha in Nyabihu district as well as supporting income generation activities in the resettlement sites. As part of the project, 2 health centers were constructed in the district of Rutsiro and Karongi and 10 water sources constructed for the local populations which were handed over to the province in March this year.

In his speech, the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Mr. Luke Wasonga, “urged the population to use these ambulances efficiently and also take advantage of their health centers and hospitals. This will lead to improved health and thus contribute to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals of reducing child mortality, improving maternal health and combating HIV/AIDS. The importance of improving the health in the province does not however end here, as this contributes to the achievement of other development goals such as Vision 2020. These ambulances are therefore only part of the means to improve the population’s health. The population has to play the main role by using available health services offered to them by the Government and its partners”.

Speaking at the event, the Mayor of Nyabihu District, Theogene Ngirabatware thanked UNDP and the President of the Republic of Rwanda for their cooperation in the endeavor to support the people of Nyabihu District. “The donated ambulances will benefit the people but especially, the pregnant women who find it very difficult to walk very long distances for medical consultations. He further expressed the importance of this donation at this time because they had only two ambulances serving the entire province. He also explained that the donation has fulfilled the President Kagame’s promise to the district.

In her remarks the Minister of Gender, Family, and Children Affairs, Ms. Valerie Nyirahabineza appreciated the generous contribution by UNDP and also thanked in particular the President of the Republic of Rwanda for his continued efforts to strength the cooperation between donors and the Government of Rwanda. The donation is a significant contribution towards improving the lives of poor people. Therefore, the minister appealed to the local population and local authorities for proper utilization of the ambulances donated and advised them against any mismanagement.

Prepared by Doreca Musenga
Sustainable Livelihood Unit