Diverse opinions among residents, especially those in the Mbogo sector of Rulindo District, told ISANGO Star that having medical trees is not helpful if they do not have the means to utilize them properly. They claim that when they attempt to plant trees, they are encouraged to sell them outside the area without guidance.

One person stated, "We are given money for medical trees but then left with nothing! They encourage us to plant them, but they don’t provide us with trees. Instead, when you want to plant them, you are told to go buy them. If you look closely, you realize medical trees don't benefit us."

Another said, "With medical trees, it's 100% true! If you invest money in them, it ends up wasted. Planting medical trees doesn't cost you anything, but when you want to plant, it seems impossible!"

Residents argue that this situation continues to affect their lives, especially those who attempt to plant medical trees. They lament that while some struggle to plant them, others resell them, worsening the health situation in the area.

One person commented, "Sometimes when you have a serious illness or a chronic condition, good medical trees are available in pharmacies. You may have to return to the hospital because the trees they give you may not provide proper treatment."

Another said, "Even if they give you three trees, they might tell you it’s one tree; the other you pay for! When you pay, they call it being on medical trees?"

They call for better regulation of medical trees in their community and express concerns about their value.

One person stated, "They say medical trees are government-distributed! What kind of government distribution is this? They should tell us where this distribution went. Let them revise all these regulations. If medical trees are not available, they should inform us so that we pay 100%. If they are available, let them send them wherever needed."

Another said, "People have become skilled at tricking us with good trees."

Theophile MUTAGANDA, the Rulindo District official, assures that investigations are ongoing regarding the illegal sale of medical trees and that appropriate measures will be taken.

He stated, "The money given is for planting. Then there are those regulations, it's everywhere in the district one should escape these regulations, and we will all enforce them. It means those who violate it are sabotaging the regulations, but there is nowhere we expect things to be done differently from the regulations we know….”

Some residents argue that the allocation and sale of medical trees, coupled with financial hardships, compel some to resort to various means to access medical care, including seeking treatment in distant pharmacies or relying on other unconventional methods, impacting people's lives.

Residents stress the importance of restoring faith in medical tree planting and treating it as a vital aspect of healthcare.

written by Kavukire Alexis