Muhanga: Genocide commemoration needs more money

Counsellors who deal with the 1994 genocide traumatized people in the sectors of Muhanga district are requesting for more funds to effectively facilitate them during the period of mourning period April2012

According to information, the counsellors normally meet serious challenges as a result of little funds.       

This was shared in a meeting organized by the association of trauma counsellors ARCT-RUHUKA (Rwanda association for Trauma Counsellors) in preparation for the coming season of mourning for the 1994 genocide victims.

Some of the challenges mostly faced include lack of transport means to move patients from particular places to the nearest health institution, lack of communication means and lack of water to give patients in critical conditions.

Trauma counsellors requested district officials present to deliver the message affecting them in their service delivery to the concerned authorities so that they can always be well catered for during the season of mourning  that they can also offer better services.

Counsellor in Kibangu sector Salamu Bamurange said that trauma counsellors should be given appreciation packages as a way of motivating them since they always do a lot of work during that period.

Gashugi Innocent who was representing Muhanga district and is in charge of culture said they will to tackle the challenges faced by trauma counselors to their best so that trauma counselors can always deliver a better service during that period. He said that they will talk with health center officials to always avail ambulances to transport trauma patients and talk with sector officials to always provide other necessary equipments required by trauma counsellors for efficient service delivery.

The representative from ARCT-RUHUKA Marie Josee Kayitesi said that the association will always ensure to represent and be a voice for trauma counsellors and at the same time requested them to always follow up trauma patients not only in the period of mourning for genocide victims but to always be in touch with them in their everyday lives.

The director for the National Commission for the fight against Genocide (CNLG) in the districts of Muhanga and Kamonyi Emmanuel Nshimiymana asked trauma counsellors not to only concentrate on treating trauma patients but to also come up with measures that prevent its cause.

On the measures implemented in fighting the causes of trauma, Nshimiymana said that the programs concerning the mourning season should always be well prepared early enough and held in the early hours of the day other than late in the evening or at night as it was discovered that many people get affected with trauma during the late hours of the night and even other people with bad intensions can take advantage of the night to fulfil their disastrous missions.