The Rwandan Medical Association with physicians for human rights are to develop an action plan focusing on ways to address gender based violence. Training in this sector has already commenced bringing professional in health.
“As health professionals, we have a key role to play in identifying and addressing gender based violence,” said Mr. Stephen Rulisa, vice president of Rwanda Medical Association. “We have a programme with gender based violence.”
However, various studies conducted in the country including the 2008 report by Intra-health’s “Twubakane” decentralisation and health programme, have shown that health professionals and the health systems are often unprepared to identify victims or to provide the need and the necessary support and care regarding gender based violence (GBV).
According to Emily Bancroft from ophidians for human rights, “gender based violence is both a human rights and public health issue, therefore ii is important for health professionals be educated and actively respond to gender based violence in their communities.”
Health professionals trained to deal with gender based violence are central in responding to and identifying patients who are victims, and they can provide the necessary linkage to crucial social and legal services.
The organised training for health professional is to encourage them develop a more comprehensive approach responding to GBV.
Responding to gender based violence, the ministry of health together with the U.S physicians have started an awareness campaign about the dangers both physical and psychological to women that are caught in the acts of this violence. (End)