Rwanda celebrated World Health Day on 29th May 2016 in an event organized by the Ministry of Health/Rwanda Biomedical Center and its partners, including WHO, with the theme “Scale-Up Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention, Strengthen Care, and Enhance Surveillance”. The national theme for World Health Day aligns with the global theme, “Beat Diabetes”, with a call to address the broader non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Every year, World Health Day is celebrated globally 07 April but the date coincides with the commemoration of the genocide against the Tutsi in 1994, so Rwanda celebrates it on a different date. 

The Guest of Honour, Hon. Mrs Julienne Uwacu, Minister of Sports and Culture, called on all Rwandans to regularly engage in sports and physical activities to prevent NCDs which are occurring more in the country. She informed the gathering that the Ministry of Sports and Culture has started implementation of Sports for All in districts and will continue to support all efforts in this area.

The Mayor of Kigali City announced that the “Car Free Day” initiative would be repeated every month to allow all Kigali citizens to have free and safe space for sports and physical activities.

Other guests included the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, Minister of Youth and ICT, and representatives of local government, representatives of the Rwanda Diabetes Association, Rwanda Heart Association and Rwanda Health Allied Professionals and sports organizations. The Director General of Rwanda Biomedical Center and the WHO Representative to Rwanda were also present as hosts.

The World Health Day celebration was combined with the “Car Free Day”, a new initiative introduced by the Kigali City Council to highlight and address the problem NCDs in the country. Prior to the event of 29th May, a countrywide awareness week on NCDs was organized from 23 to 29 May 2016, with a broadcast of messages, programmes and spots on NCD prevention on public and private radio and television. In addition, the Ministry of Health, with support from WHO and local associations, organized a week of public and free screening for hypertension, diabetes, overweight as risk factor (body mass index), and eyesight. Many citizens participated in this event in Kigali City.

On the final day of the celebration, a “Car Free Day” was flagged off by the Kigali City Mayor and some main roads were closed to vehicles from 07:00 a.m. to 12:00, and a public walk/jog/cycling which attracted several hundred Kigali residents took place. After the public walk, physical exercises were organized and screening sessions continued at Rwanda Revenue compound where walkers were gathered.

Dr Olushayo Olu, WHO Representative to Rwanda, congratulated the City of Kigali for the “Car Free Day” initiative and pledged the continued support of WHO for interventions aimed at preventing and controlling NCDs in the country.  

Other highlights of the event included songs by Rwandan musicians with messages on the risks associated with tobacco, alcohol, high salt and sugar intake, obesity and   physical inactivity, addressing mainly the youth.

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Below:

23rd to 29th May, NCDs Awareness week: Screening for Diabetes 

29th May, “Car Free Day”: Walk/Jog of Kigali citizens

Speech of the Guest of Honour, Minister of Sports and Culture, Mrs Julienne Uwacu             

Remarks by WHO Representative on behalf of the One UN Family