RWANDA: MOBILE PHONE AND COMPUTER USERS ARE WARNED BY HEALTH EXPERTS FOR NEW EMERGING TECH. DISEASE by Christophe Uwizeyimana-Radio Salus published on 2023-04-13T15:08:25Z Some Mobile phone and computer users in Rwanda, especially those who live in Kigali and Huye cities are afraid of experiencing repetitive stress injury to the neck caused by using these devices many times in their daily life. They request Health experts to give them advice because they hear that this may be a technological disease called text neck syndrome. In a testimony of Muneza Egide, a student from University of Rwanda, He suffered from Text neck Syndrome after attending university studies in year one. He went through for a long period before deciding to see a doctor because he didn’t know that he was suffered with Text neck syndrome. But after, He was treated and got advice of new behavior for using electronic devices. Today He is in year 4, Medecine. Clip Muneza Egide VOICE MUNEZA === It is not Munezero only because, Radio Salus talked with some people who use smart phones and computers from Kigali and Huye cities in Rwanda, and they say that as they use those devices in their daily life, they face similar symptoms like those ones of Egide such as repetitive pain in the cervical spine, upper back, and shoulder regions. Clip Aba-Kigali-Huye === Dr.Dieudone Dusaberurema, a rehabilitation specialist in department of injuries and disabilities of from Rwanda Biomedical Laboratory, (RBC) says that Text neck syndrome is a technological disease which is silently increasing in different developing countries especially in those who use electronic devices like Smart phones and computers. He explains the symptoms of text neck syndrome and what health authorities in Rwanda are planning to fight against this new epidemic disease. Clip 1 Dr. Dieudonne === Dr. Dieudonne Says that the Government of Rwanda has taken measures for this technological disease Clip Dr. Dieudonne ==== Health Researchers link Text Neck syndrome with headaches, neurological issues, depression, and heart disease. Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, the minister of Health in Rwanda says “Imagine the impact. If science believes that our heads on average weigh 7 kilograms and you spend more than five hours bending into your smart phone,” “It certainly damages your sight. We have this newly emerging disease called text-neck, which is a neck pain or complication that we didn’t know of in the past until recently.” The proposed research on the text-neck disease comes at a time when numbers of Rwandans owning phones and especially smart portable devices is increasing as the country positions itself as a Tech Hub. Today the exact number of those who are having text neck in Rwanda is unknown as the survey is going to take a place. According to Rwanda Population and Housing Census of 2022, 78.1% of population has Mobile Phones. And risk to text neck syndrome. Research conducted by Team of National Center for Biotechnology information in 2019, showed that in sub-Saharian African countries at least 4.7% of males and 6.7% females are affected by Text neck syndrome. it estimated that 75% of the world's population is hunched over their handheld devices for hours daily with their heads flexed forward. Study of researchers like David, Giannini, Chiarelli, and Mohn conducted in 2021, considers text neck syndrome” as an emerging 21st-century syndrome. Ergonomic trend indicates that if there is no typical measures against Text neck Syndrome, between 70-75% of world population will experience text neck syndrome in future. Christophe Uwizeyimana, Special report –Radio Salus Genre News & Politics