Rwanda Down Syndrome Organization (RDSO) is no stranger to COVID-19 prevention measures and sensitizing its beneficiaries to the subject. Back in October 2020, RDSO conducted a COVID-19 workshop that aimed to teach young adults and their parents facts about COVID-19, the ways of preventing COVID-19, and the particular impact COVID-19 has on Down Syndrome population. RDSO has been diligent in reminding its beneficiaries the prevention measures of COVID-19 during the activities it hosts on a regular basis, including the self-advocacy trainings. And so, it is in that regard that RDSO invited RBC (Rwanda Biomedical Center) to test for COVID-19 in young adults with Down Syndrome.
Apart from practicing prevention measures of COVID-19, it is always good to be on the safer side by being aware of your status so that in case you have COVID-19 you might go in isolation to prevent further contamination and get treatment before the illness takes a toll on you. The latter is especially important for people with Down syndrome as they have narrower respiratory airways and sometimes have underlying medical conditions that make them susceptible to severe COVID-19. Therefore, testing young adults with Down Syndrome is a priority and RDSO has responded to that by making sure that young adults with Down Syndrome who meet often at the office for self-advocacy training are tested and safe to continue meeting, of course, by continuing to practice prevention measure.
The testing took place on February 23rd, 2021 at RDSO office in Niboye and a total of 12 participants received a nasal swab based rapid antigen test. All the participants’ results came out negative, thus no further action needed to be taken.
This event of testing by RBC is part of the many actions RDSO continues to take towards curbing the impact of COVID-19 in the Down Syndrome population and RDSO aims to even go further by advocating for early vaccination for people with Down Syndrome as they are among the vulnerable population.
By Munezero Mugiraneza Pascaline, Volunteer at RDSO