BURUNDI— Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, has officially opened the not-for-profit Kigutu Hospital and Women’s Pavilion, which was put up by Village Health Works (VHW), a Non-Governmental Health Organisation in Burundi.
The three-day inaugural celebration of the hospital was commemorated with the attendance of President Ndayishimiye and the Minister of Public Health, Dr. Sylvie Nzeyimana, regional and local officials, and an outpouring of support by the community of Kigutu.
“Burundi believes in democracy and knows that health is the key to sustainable development. This hospital is an example of our commitment to sustainable economic development and peace in our country,” said the President of Burundi at the opening ceremony.
Dr. Sylvie Nzeyimana also acknowledged that since H.E. Ndayishimiye took power in 2020, he had stressed that universal access to dignified health care was a key pillar of sustainable development in our country Burundi.
Following the inaugural ceremony, community forums on health and education were held for two days at the Kigutu International Academy (KIA), an innovative school for high-performing students supported and operated by VHW.
Although unable to attend the event in person, messages of support were sent by longtime supporters of VHW, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
“This hard-fought and long-awaited milestone is a testament to the incredible work of your community and the powerful belief that health care is a human right and a fundamental building block to global equity,” Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton said.
Several global philanthropists and leaders in health care and higher education came to Burundi from all over the world for the hospital opening including U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Keith R. Giles and Public Affairs Officer Karin M. Ehlert.
Melinda French Gates, Co-President of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, via video message, also praised the efforts of VHW “Congratulations to everyone that made this into reality. This is a wonderful moment for your community, for Burundi, and all of Africa,”
VHW Founder and CEO Deogratias (Deo) Niyizonkiza led the ceremony, noting that the opening of the Kigutu Hospital and Women’s Health Pavilion is the start of a new and critical chapter for Village Health Works.
“The Kigutu Hospital and Women’s Health Pavilion was conceived to fulfill our vision that every human being has the right to receive dignified health care, regardless of whether they are poor or rich,” said Deo Niyizonkiza
The Kigutu Hospital and Women’s Health Pavilion will be the first teaching hospital in the region, aligning with President Evariste Ndayishimiye’s strategic vision to provide each commune in Burundi with access to a comprehensive hospital and health care.
VHW acknowledged that the 85,000 square feet new hospital complex, will offer a range of health care services.
The hospital will offer primary health care, emergency, trauma, physical therapy and rehabilitation, obstetrics and gynaecology, ophthalmology, pediatrics, mental health, general surgery, critical care, and neonatology.
Moreover, with diagnostic services including radiology and a laboratory that will include pathology, the first laboratory of its kind in Burundi.
Village Health Works impact on Burundi’s rural health sector
VHW is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing dignified health care, innovative education programs, and building equity throughout communities in Burundi.
Furthermore, VHW has sought to address issues that stem from the inequality and injustice that impact humanity.
Since its inception in 2006, VHW which operates in a rural area of south Burundi, has served more than 200,000 people, receiving patients mainly from the provinces of Rumonge, Makamba, and Bururi but also from as far away as Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Justifiably, Burundi has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, with a ratio of 548 per 100,000 live births, more than twice as high as neighbouring Rwanda (248), and substantially higher than peer East African nations such as Kenya (342), Uganda (375), and the DRC (473).
Therefore, Burundi is an urgent need for maternity, neonatal, and preventive pediatric care, with only 1 physician per 20,865 people and 1 midwife per 45,723 people.
Arguably as well, before reaching five years old, 78 children die per 1000 live births in Burundi, since it is one of the poorest nations in the world and has seen improvements in health and education outcomes in recent years with the help of the global community.
Consequently, VHW follows a patient-centered approach that tries to readdress the country’s limitations to human development and unity.
Moreso, from a community approach through a focus on both prevention and treatment across five care departments: maternal and infant health, child health, non-communicable diseases, infectious diseases, and mental health.
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