Today May 10, a delegation led by Marie Rose Kayirangwa, the country director of Jhpiego Rwanda, visited the Faculty of Health Sciences at Institut Catholique de Kabgayi (ICK).
The visit aimed to explore potential partnerships, particularly in advancing the 4×4 program established by the Ministry of Health in Rwanda in 2023. This program aims to quadruple the number of healthcare workers in Rwanda in the next 4 years to meet the World Health Organization’s recommendation of having at least 4 healthcare professionals per 1,000 population density.
Upon their arrival, the delegation was welcomed by Father Dr. Prudence Bicamumpaka, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academics and Research at ICK, and Sister Domitile Mukantabana, the Dean of Health Sciences Faculty at ICK.
Discussions revolved around addressing the critical shortage of nurses and midwives in the health sector, as outlined in the Rwandan government’s plan.
As stated by Sister Mukantabana, through the discussions, ICK showcased its proactive measures in tackling this issue, including the recruitment of skilled lecturers and the enhancement of materials for health education.
Marie Rose Kayirangwa expressed satisfaction with the fruitful discussion, anticipating a promising partnership.
Highlighting a USAID-funded project, she commended ICK’s efforts in improving laboratories and facilities but noted that ICK still needs support to increase the supply of nurses and midwives to labor market.
She emphasized collaboration and stated, “We came here on the recommendation of the Ministry of Health in Rwanda because we believe that ICK could be a valuable partner for our projects.”
Following the discussions, the delegation toured the laboratories, classrooms, and other facilities of the Faculty of Health Science at ICK.
At present, the School of Nursing and Midwifery at ICK has 281 students where 133 are boys while 148 are girls.
