Musanze — 8,720 community health advisers from five districts that make up the Northern Province, received free mobile phones to facilitate them in their activities.

The handsets were donated by President Paul Kagame, as part of efforts to enhance healthcare in rural areas.

Handing over the donation in Musanze District, Health Minister Dr. Richard Sezibera, said the handsets would help the beneficiaries have easy access to information on antenatal care, immunisation and nutrition in order to check maternal and child deaths.

"You should train other people within your villages to join the campaign to promote better health practices, proper sanitation and family planning," he said.

Dr. Sezibera called upon local authorities to strengthen cooperative societies of community health workers, as a tool to fight poverty.

The mobile phones have an inbuilt system to enable the beneficiaries send health situation reports, and rapid SMS programmes through which they will receive instructions on antenatal care.

Provincial Governor, Aime Bosenibamwe, urged the health workers to prioritise disease prevention by educating residents on proper hygiene and feeding habits in homes.

The beneficiaries hailed the President for promoting the use of Information and Communication Technologies, especially in the health sector.

"We have been having problems with communication, these phones will help us to communicate amongst ourselves and to give reports on time," said Denise Mukareta one of the beneficiaries.