Humanitarian services on leave

The « Medics without Vacation (MWV) » are involved and active wherever they go though they are named like this. Enhancing hospital partners’ capacities is the noble objective of the Belgian Organization.–By Yves Didier Irakoze

The family picture of some physicians of« Medics without Vacation”.©Iwacu

“In some areas of the world there were people who didn’t get access to high- quality health care. Realizing this issue, a humanitarian mission to help those people was set up not only to offer care to patients but also to strengthen the physicians’ capacities with the 2014-2016 new approach,” declares Dr Marcellin Kash Karubara, Local Representative of MWV in the region of East Congo, Burundi and Rwanda. He adds that the ultimate goal of their programme is to help their partners be autonomous and play their role independently in health sector at national level. Dr Marcellin expresses that during their mission, they respect national health policies within the African context or other partner countries while focusing on their specific needs. “We operate in 5 countries where human development indicator is weak like Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. Our first beneficiaries of the intervention are no longer the population in general but nurses, medical technicians and assistants as well as physicians. In return, the beneficiaries will care for the population,” highlights Dr Marcellin. He goes on saying that in Burundi, MWV work with partner hospitals of Muyinga, Muramvya, Ijenda (Bujumbura province), Kamenge Neuropsychiatric Center and the Akamuri Center. Dr Marcellin states that their partners appreciate their mission though they sometimes face some obstacles. “We strengthen capacities to local medical staff. But the main problem we face is the medical staff mobility. Today, you work with this staff and when you come back to complete the mission, you find the people transferred or moved elsewhere, then it’s an obstacle for us,” says Dr Marcellin.

Burundians should develop their country

Fagnoul Marilyne, Emergency Physician in Belgium states that it’s up to Burundians to develop themselves. What they need is to be enhanced on technical competences and work in a good environment because the human resources are there. “If we enhance capacities, they will have skills and we give them donations of medical equipment to help them work in a wonderful environment with the hope to get successful results. They are courageous, so, it’s up to them to show up what they are able to,” declares Fagnoul. Ernest Nintunze, a nurse in surgery room in Belgium states that Burundian medical staff be encouraged to evolve in terms of hospital hygiene research. “The government of Burundi must participate to improve hygiene in hospitals. There is a lack of national policy on hygiene in hospitals and also the shortage of disinfection byproducts. Then, it must improve on that domain and also motivate the medical staff,” concludes Nintunze.