The African Vaccination Week Integrated in the Mother and Child Health Week in Rwanda

The African Vaccination Week Integrated in the Mother and Child Health Week in Rwanda

Rwanda organized its biannual Integrated Mother and Child Health Week from 23rd to 27th  April 2019. The Mother and Child week is organized twice a year and serves as an opportunity to scale up health services provision, particularly to the hard-to-reach, the unreached and the most vulnerable populations. The Ministry of Health in collaboration with Imbuto Foundation, WHO Country Office and other Partners are organizing a national campaign named "Baho Neza" (Health and Well-being) from April 01st to July 06th 2019. Different health activities are integrated in the campaign, and mainly the integrated Mother and Child Health Week with the African Vaccination Week and the World Malaria Day.

Integrated Mother and Child Health Week is one of the strategy used to increase awareness regarding the use of preventive and curative services but also a great opportunity to provide key preventive services: deworming, vitamin A supplementation, provision of micronutrients, screening on malnutrition, Family Planning Services and messages on prevention of malaria, early pregnancy, hygiene and messages on vaccination.

The launching ceremony of "Baho Neza" was organized on the first day of the Mother and Child Health Week which took place in Nyagatare District, Eastern Province on 23rd April 2019. The Guest of Honour of this ceremony was the Minister of Health, Dr Diane Gashumba. Among other guests were the Governor of Eastern Privince, United Nations Agencies and other Partners. The launching included the inauguration of a health post in Nyagatare District in line with decentralization of health services.

In her speech, the Minister of Health, Dr Diane Gashumba reminded the communities that the Mother and Child Health Weeks have improved lives of mothers and children by ensuring coverage of the basic health needs of the communities. She expressed that this launching coincides with the African Vaccination Week which commemorates immunization in the African Region, and is a programme where Rwanda has made tremendous achievements. She urged for sustained pace in immunizing Rwandan children. She also recalled communities to prevent malaria, fight against early pregnancy and increase family planning for a healthy development of the country.

WHO provided deworming tablets for the campaign which targeted around 5 millions of children aged from 1 to 15 years and financial support for IEC materials for Mother and Child Health Week.

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