Rwanda organized its biannual Integrated Mother and Child Health Week from 26th to 29th April 2016. The Mother and Child week is organized twice a year and serves as an opportunity to scalehealth services provision, particularly to the hard-to-reach, the unreached and the most vulnerable populations. The Mother and Child Health Week was combined with the African Vaccination Week.

The launching ceremony of the Mother and Child Health Week took place in Gicumbi District, Eastern Province on 26th April 2016. The Guest of Honour of this ceremony was the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, Dr Diane Gashumba who represented the First Lady. Among other guests were the Minister of State in charge of Public Health and Primary Health Care in the Ministry of Health, United Nations Agencies represented by UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO and other Partners present were USAID and World Vision.

In her speech, Dr Gashumba reminded the communities that Mother and Child Health Weeks have improved lives of mothers and children by ensuring coverage of the basic health needs of the communities. She also highlighted that Rwanda, due to this annual activity among others, has reached many of MDGs targets. She reminded that this launching coincides with the African Vaccination Week which commemorates immunization, a programme where Rwanda has made tremendous achievements and urged sustained the pace in immunizing Rwandan children. She stressed the commitment and leadership of His Excellency President of the Republic and First Lady in supporting all initiatives for improving the health of Rwandan population.

The Minister of State highlighted the achievements in health sector and reminded that some areas need a special attention such as malaria and malnutrition. Others speakers of the day were the “WHO Representative on behalf of “One UN”, USAID Representative and Mayor of the Province. The WHO Representative, on behalf of “One UN Family”, congratulated the Ministry of Health for organizing the Mother and Child Health Week, with well planned activities targeting the most vulnerable populations. On behalf of the One UN, he pledged the continued support of UN Agencies to the Government efforts to improve health of communities, especially the most vulnerable. UN Agencies, including UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO actively contributed to the preparation, organization and supervision of the Mother and Child Health Week. WHO provided deworming tablets for the campaign which targeted around 5 millions of children aged from 1 to 15 years.

This Integrated Mother and Child Health Week included various interventions such as de-worming of children from 1 to 15 years old, distribution of vitamin A for all children under 5, screening of malnutrition with “MUAC”, community sensitization on malaria prevention, malnutrition, teenagers pregnancy, and promotion of immunization, family planning and hygiene.

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For more information, please contact:

Mr GASHEREBUKA Jean Bosco, Email:  gasherebukab [at] who.int