Rutshuru, 28 September, 2016 – The North Kivu Provincial Commissioner of Police, General Awachango Vital, and the representative of MONUSCO’s Goma Head of Office, Joseph Balironda, have hailed the construction of a brand new PNC Health Centre in Rutshuru, a remote locality situated in the North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as a milestone for the Peacekeeping Mission and for its already close relationship with the people and government of the DRC.

The 28 September 2016, inauguration of the new PNC Health Centre falls within the framework of MONUSCO’s Quick Impact Project (QIP) initiative, which aims to provide assistance to national institutions and to help the government of the DRC to construct and rehabilitate public and community infrastructures pulled down by decades of armed conflicts that is still ravaging some of the eastern part of the country.

“As you all know, the Congolese National Police is a public institution belonging to the Congolese government, which aims to secure the population and their property, maintain public order, and restore the state authority throughout the whole of the DRC,” Joseph Balironda reminded his audiences.

He said that through the HIV/AIDS Section, MONUSCO’s Leadership seeks to improve the social wellbeing and health, not only of the police officers and their respective families, but also the health of the population since the Health Centre will be opened to the entire public. This, he said, will also help to address issues of HIV and AIDS within the larger community.

“The objectives of this project were to build a Health Centre for the police officers and their dependents, equip with furniture, medical equipments, basic laboratory, provide delivery and maternity services”, Mr. Balironda continued. “This project will address the health needs of 1,186 police officers and whose dependents are estimated at about 6,905 in the territory of Rutshuru.”  

In his closing remarks, Joseph Balironda requested the PNC to manage the facility well so that it can serve the intended purpose of providing health care service to the PNC elements, their dependents, and the local population.

Addressing the mammoth crowd that turned out to witness the handing over ceremony, among whom were the Territorial Administrator for Rutshuru, traditional authorities, representatives of NGOs, the North Kivu Provincial Commissioner of Police General Awachango Vital said that it was significant that the new Health Centre was constructed by Congolese enterprises and formed an integral part of a series of construction of PNC Health Centres by MONUSCO in the North Kivu Province.

The Police boss said that it was necessary for the Congolese authorities to strengthen the already fruitful relationship that exist between the police and MONUSCO. He upheld the equipment standards in the new Health Centre, promised good usage, and cautioned all staffs of the Health Centre to provide quality services to the community and to keep the premises clean at all times.

While thanking MONUSCO for always helping the Congolese Police, General Awachango, who has been described as being central to development projects within his area of command, called on MONUSCO to open more doors for the construction of other Health Centres in Masisi, Walikale, and Beni where health facilities for the police will equally help the larger community.

The local population of Rutshuru joined the police at the inauguration of this new Health Centre that has a consultation ward, laboratory section, waiting hall for patients, pharmacy, the labour room for pregnant women, and the maternity ward.

The inauguration spotlighted increased strict adherence to standards of excellence and innovative thinking, which have been instrumental in field assignments of the HIV/AIDS Section of MONUSCO.

It is worthy of note here that the new health facility brings the total number of Quick Impact Projects that have seen the light of day thanks to the initiative of HIV/AIDS Section to two in less than two years, making PNC one of the biggest beneficiaries in terms of health infrastructures, after the one in Muzenze that was inaugurated in 2015. It will cater not only for growing demand for health assistance from the PNC but also for the people in Rutshuru, Kiwanja, and well beyond.

By Joseph Tabung Banah