26 January 2017 – Kirehe, Rwanda: Today the Minister of Disaster Management and Refugees Hon. Mukantabana Seraphine and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative Dr. Saber Azam inaugurated two new durable health clinics for Mahama Refugee Camp in Eastern Province.
Those clinics will serve over 50,000 refugees from Burundi currently living in the camp as well as new arrivals. As the camp is split into two administrative units, UNHCR with its partners American Refugee Committee (ARC) and Save the Children constructed two health centers serving Mahama I and Mahama II, with support from the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and European Commission Department for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection.
“Strong partnership and commitment always produces lasting solutions. It is from actions like these that lives of refugees – people like you and I, are improved. The Government of Rwanda commits to work with our partners for continued positive change for refugees across our country,” stated Hon. Mukantabana Seraphine.
In December 2015 SCI has upgraded the health post into a health centre to scale up its health capacity to meet needs of more than 25,000 refugees living in that section of the camp. Today UNFPA is also providing much needed equipment to support the health facilities.
“On behalf of all actors engaged in supporting the Government to respond to the needs of refugees, I am proud that the health response in Mahama was well coordinated, of good quality, and that key humanitarian standards were respected,” said Dr. Azam.
“Thanks to the generous support of donors, UNHCR had a budget of USD 47.1 million for its Rwanda operation in 2016 and our health response could not have been possible without the dedicated support of key donors including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and European Commission Department for Humanitarian Affairs,” Dr. azam added.
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