Ministry of health honours genocide victims

The Health Sector together with its development partners yesterday paid tribute to their employs who were massacred in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

Over 2000 staff of the Ministry of Health and the Rwanda Biomedical Centre visited Kigali genocide memorial centre, and laid wreaths on the genocide mass graves.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Agnes Binagwaho condemned the atrocities committed during the genocide.

“The health sector is a family , we are glad to be able to share these moments with families of our former colleagues. I bring condolences from the government of Rwanda and wish to express that indeed bad leadership and divisionism can lead to such terrible atrocities. As we mourn year after year, we remember our history and the emotion that comes with it makes us more determined to advance progress and rebuild our nation,” said Binagwaho.

The Minister highlighted the sector’s support towards assisting survivors and commended the development partners to join the cause.

Two survivors and former employees of the Ministry at the time, Stanislus Simugomwa and Epiphanie Karangwayire narrated the events of the time and how they survived narrowly.

“When I look back at way we were treated before 1994 and during the genocide, Iam only thankful that finally we are free. We lived under a cloud of torture, fear and were never valued as humans,” said Simugomwa, a survivor.

Karangwayire on the other hand remarked that many Tutsi women were raped and tortured at the hands of the merciless killers.

“We join Rwanda in the progress and healing process and totally agree with Never Again,”said Dr.Dovlo Delanyo,World Healthy Organisation Country Representative in Rwanda. He spoke on behalf of the Ministry of health partners.

During the vigil, the Health Minister lit candles to represent hope and called upon Rwandans to condemn genocide and work harder to accelerate the country’s development progress.