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Asbestos Removal and replacement works are going on at University of Rwanda-Huye Campus.
Activities started with former School of Science Buildings. University of Rwanda- Huye campus is among public institutions with high number of asbestos square meters. According to Juvenal NSENGIYUMVA UR Huye campus Director of Assets and Services Management, whose oversight responsibility is over Assets and Services Management, in Huye campus, buildings with asbestos sheets have about 38 000 square meters. As Huye campus has large number of asbestos, the removal and replacement cost is estimated around one billion Rwandan Francs and RHA says total removal and replacement is planned in coming fiscal year 2020/2021. Note that Asbestos removal and replacement works are under Ministry of infrastructure through Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA). Reserve Forces are conducting the said activities.
Infrastructure Minister GATETE CLAVERt recently told the media that by the end of 2020, all government buildings with asbestos sheets will no longer have these harmful tins as the required budgets have been planned and are available.
The website https://www.rha.gov.rw/index.php?id=182 of Rwanda Housing Authority
stipulates how Asbestos sheets are harmful to Human being health :
"Asbestos is a natural silicate mineral made up of strong fibers, durable and fire resistant, with a very thinness of 1/5,000 of human hair which has been mixed into many construction materials for a long period of time.
... utilization in construction materials and the long exposure, the inhalation of the asbestos fibers causes serious and severe diseases such as Asbestosis, Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma related to human lung and respiratory system. "

ASBESTOS REMOVAL PROGRESS AND STATUS AS OF APRIL 30, 2019

–  The asbestos removal progress from all Government buildings is at 52%.
–  The asbestos removal progress from private buildings is at 66%.
–  The asbestos removal general progress (government and private buildings) is at 59%.

For more details, kindly find here the Asbestos Removal Progress :

Source : RHA website

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Story by HAGABIMANA Eugène
In Charge of Public Relations and community engagement
UR/Huye campus