Afrigather 
Rubavu, 15 November 2022 – All of it begins within the womb of a mother-to-be as she embraces the tiny being forming inside her. The sound of a much-awaited and priceless heartbeat. The sensation she will get at that first kick of life.
For a lot of, the journey to motherhood is a supply of pleasure, pleasure, and love. However with 203 Rwandan moms reportedly dying per 100,000 stay births, childbirth has change into a terrific danger.
Because of this, the Authorities of Rwanda has solemnly declared, ‘No girl ought to die giving life: Nta mubyeyi ukwiye gupfa abyara!’
Not solely is that this a strong declaration, however it’s also the theme for this 12 months’s Maternal Little one Well being (MCH) week.
This resounding proclamation echoed by the Rwandan communities because the Ministry of Well being (MoH) launched every week devoted to the well being and well-being of moms and youngsters.
Supported by the World Well being Group (WHO) and a number of other improvement companions, commemorations kicked off within the north-western district of Rubavu on Monday, 14 November, with occasions scheduled to run throughout the nation till 18 November 2022.
Talking to a crowd of over a thousand ladies, males, adolescents, and youngsters, the Ministry’s Head of the Division for Planning, Monitoring and Analysis, Dr Parfait Uwaliraye stated the federal government continues to prioritize the well being of all ladies and youngsters.
“Although the nation has made regular progress, Rwanda nonetheless bears a heavy burden of excessive neonatal, toddler, under-five, and maternal mortality. MCH week seeks to deal with this by strengthening the well being system for all moms, newborns, infants, and adolescents within the Rwandan group,” he shared.
Dr Uwaliraye additional urged all moms to vary their attitudes and attend antenatal care at well being amenities, as home-based deliveries are leading to elevated deaths throughout childbirth.
Rwanda continues to make use of a mixture of methods to strengthen the well being system and make the standard of providers accessible to all moms and youngsters. For instance, the Ministry’s adoption of the brand new WHO Antenatal Tips, not too long ago launched in September 2022, to enhance the standard of antenatal care and provision of a constructive being pregnant expertise.
Nonetheless, as in most sub-Saharan African international locations, Rwanda nonetheless contends with excessive maternal mortality figures. As with maternal deaths, neonatal deaths are equally of concern estimated at 19 per 1000 stay births. Beneath-five mortality stands at 50 per 1000, whereas toddler mortality stands at 33 per 1000 stay births based on the Demographic Survey 2019-2020.
To this finish, Rwanda implements maternal and baby well being week twice a 12 months to ship an built-in bundle of cost-effective preventative providers to enhance maternal and baby well being. MCH week additionally seems at offering interventions for Uncared for Tropical Ailments (NTDs) and diet.
“The United Nations congratulates the Ministry of Well being for prioritizing the well being of girls, newborns, and youngsters,” stated the WHO Reproductive Maternal and Neonatal Well being Specialist, Dr Theopista Kabuteni, talking on behalf of the United Nations (UN) businesses in Rwanda on the identical occasion.
She concluded: “An built-in MCH week like this can guarantee no baby or mom is left behind. Allow us to take this chance to succeed in many ladies and youngsters with well being providers catch-up, significantly the hard-to-reach and essentially the most susceptible. You possibly can relaxation assured that the UN will proceed to help the Authorities of Rwanda in making certain entry to well being for all and constructing a wholesome and affluent nation.”
Rwanda equally commemorated World Handwashing Day and World Rest room Day, occasions normally celebrated yearly on 15 October and 19 November respectively. To mark nowadays, the Ministry of Well being partnered with UNICEF and WHO to launch a two-year Nationwide Hygiene and Sanitation Marketing campaign to advertise protected sanitation and hygiene behaviors all through the nation.
Actions deliberate for this MCH week embrace screenings of malnutrition for youngsters of six months to 5 years, provision of Vitamin A supplementation to kids of the identical age group, and deworming tablets to kids aged 1-15 years. As well as, there will likely be catch-up vaccination periods for youngsters as much as 5 years who missed routine immunization doses. Contraceptive providers will equally be supplied.
Moreover, periods will likely be held round malaria, diet, handwashing, water and sanitation, and their relation to maternal and baby well being. Throughout all occasions, pregnant ladies will likely be inspired to attend the advisable antenatal care visits at their nearest well being amenities.
MCH week demonstrates Rwanda’s continued efforts to focus on points impacting maternal and baby well being and making certain that no girl dies giving life.
