Association of Medical Doctors of ASIA, founded in 1984, Consultative Status with UN ECOSOC since 1995

Okayama Prefectural Government’s International Contribution Project for Local-to-Local Technical Transfer in Rwanda

As part of Okayama Prefectural Government’s International Contribution Project for Local-to-Local Technical Transfer, AMDA sent a group of Japanese doctors to Rwanda to pass on their expertise in pediatrics and transfer the Japanese school medical-check system. From 3-8 September 2017, the doctors were sent to several locations in Kigali to conduct school medical examination and assess the local situation pertaining to regional medical health.
 

Kibagabaga (04-06 September 2017):

 

Initial Briefing and Lecture
At a school in Kibagabaga, the team of Japanese doctors started off the program by giving a lecture on school medical check. Teachers, children, parents as well as medical students were keenly listening to why the check-up is needed and how it is conducted in Japan. Also present at the lecture was a medical officer from the Japanese consulate, and as a whole, around 60 people took part in the event.



Medical Check-Up
Following the lecture, AMDA doctors, then, held the actual check-up over the next three days. Since the school had a total number of 1,037 students, the team saw 500 students on 05 September alone. While no severe medical symptoms were visible, there were alleged cases such as irregular pulse and cardiac murmur alongside dental problems including decayed teeth and gum diseases. In addition, some students seemed to have been suffering from respiratory infection and high fever: a possible sign of malaria which is said to be a common ailment in the area. Other than this, congenital bone deformation and dermatitis were found among some of the students.
 

Visit to University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (06 September 2017):

 

The team also visited University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK) which is known to be the most advanced hospital in the locality. At CHUK, the team observed NICU and saw “hard-to-find” medical devices that are rarely equipped in the local clinics. While CPAPs (continuous positive airway pressure masks), incubators, and laser treatment were being used there, one hospital official said that the staff education needs to be strengthened and more devices are needed for the facility improvement.

As of now, 160 beds out of 500 are allocated to the pediatrics department. According to the department chief, child mortality rate below the age of five is 55/1,000 while infant mortality rate of the new-born is 30/1,000. The child mortality rate still remains relatively high and it is hoped that, someday, all Rwandan citizens around the country would be able to benefit from the level of medical service provided at CHUK. AMDA team learned that narrowing the regional medical gap is one thing that has to be thoroughly dealt with for the time-being.
 

Miyove, Gicumbi District (07 September 2017):

 

Visiting Child Centre in Miyove
Miyove Early Childhood Development and Family (ECD&F) Centre is serving the destitute community by providing nutritional programs (run by Ms. Marie Louise Kambenga) and educational opportunities in Miyove, Gicumbi District. The team also held medical check-up at the centre and was concerned that poverty has been the cause of malnutrition and parasitic diseases in the area.
 

Conclusion

As the program marks the second time since its launch, the participating doctors say the initial phase is over and the program has come to the point where “next step” has to be considered for further development. While the importance of medical check-up has gained some sense of acknowledgment, they say the practice itself needs to be local-driven and should be held on a regular basis. The Japanese doctors hope that the so-called medical technical transfer would help create something more tangible and concrete for the local people in the years to come.