Maternal, child health campaigns, account for reduced maternal/infant mortality in Rwanda
Health experts affirm that annual maternal, child health campaigns account for remarkably reduced maternal, child mortality in Rwanda and have aided the country to achieve MDGs and of recent DHS.
The national campaigns are carried out twice a year, and health mobilizers team with local leaders to reach out to children and mothers, tutoring on healthier living.
“These events are not meant for beautiful speeches, they build solid foundations for Maternal Child Health improvement,” said UNICEF Representative Martaza Marick, at the recently launched campaign of the kind.
On Monday,The Rwanda ministry of health launched a week long campaign, focused on improving maternal, child health.
The campaign, kicked off in style, in Cyanika Sector, Burera district giving mothers and children free doses of Albendole and vitamin A tablets.
On the campaign agenda is reaching out to mothers and children under five around the country, emphasizing hygiene, nutrition, prevention of diseases like malaria, HIV and malaria prevention and implementing family planning.
“Rwanda’s remarkable achievements in realizing maternal, child health should not give us room to relax. There are still challenges affecting mothers and children and these need to be addressed,” said James Kamanzi, Director-general of Rwanda Biomedical Centre.
“For example, thirty-eight per cent of children below five years face malnutrition,” added Kamanzi.
At the launch, Aime Bosenibamwe, The governor of the Northern Province, called on parents to embrace a balanced diet as the sure way to raise healthy children.
“Fighting malnutrition does not require a big budget. It only requires the will to do it,” advised the governor.
Apart from campaigns, Kamanzi also credited Rwanda for the tremendous initiatives towards ensuring mother/child health.
Among the fruitful strategies is; routine follow-up on pregnant women, free vaccination, protecting unborn babies from contracting the HIV virus and providing ambulance services to mothers.
Meanwhile, different stakeholders tipped parents on life saving health practices.
“Washing hands properly, with soap saves lives of children. Globally thousands of children don’t celebrate their 5th birthday because of diarrhea,” advised The UNICEF representative.
“Washing hands could save 1.7 million children, dying under 5 years, globally owing to diarrhea and pneumonia,” he added.
World Health Organisation (WHO) also tipped Rwandans on making good use of the available vaccination.
“Rwanda ranks first in Africa when it comes to vaccinating against killer diseases. Research shows that polio, measles are still problems in some African countries but not Rwanda,” said an official from WHO.
Source: www.moh.gov.rw
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