Gitega Health Clinic opens

Earlier this month Jeremy Horner of World Emergency Relief (WER) and Reverend Phil Andrew from St. Mary’s Reigate travelled to Gitega in Burundi to mark the opening of a new health and nutrition centre. The ceremony was attended by huge crowds and included the feeding of 200 children from the community.

Gitega, a deprived, rural area has previously lacked any major health services. The nearest health centre was a government hospital miles away that charges for its services. With a high rate of HIV/AIDS and severe malnutrition, the community were in desperate need.
 

As part of the opening ceremony, 200 children from local families were fed.  Of these, 100 children were identified as suffering from severe malnutrition and were signed up to a treatment programme.  They will be fed twice a week and a local health carer will visit their homes to advise on nutrition. This nutrition programme will drastically improve the physical and mental capabilities of the children, some of whom currently experience stunted growth as a result of malnutrition.
 

The clinic was built thanks to a grant from St. Mary’s Church in Reigate who gave an amazing £40,000 to expand an existing HIV/AIDS clinic into a fully-fledged health centre.  The opening of the clinic heralds a change in the prospects for a healthier and safer lifestyle for the people of Gitega.
 

As expected, the opening of the clinic was a momentous local event attended by huge crowds including the health centre staff, the head of the local police, the medical officer for Gitega, a regional administrator and the local pastor. Jeremy Horner and Reverend Phil Andrews hosted the opening of the clinic and were delighted by the local response and enthusiasm.
 

As the ribbon was cut, great excitement mounted as the community inspected the new 8 bed ward, maternity unit, consultation rooms, laboratories, and a pharmacy. The local community are also anticipating courses that will help parents learn about healthy diets for their children and to deal with other health related matters.