The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has donated health kits to Mugombwa and Kigeme refugee camps, both based in the Southern Province.

The donation included 30 reproductive health kits and 450 dignity kits to support pregnant and vulnerable women in the camps.

Daniel Alemu, the deputy representative of UNFPA Rwanda, said they were actively engaged in humanitarian response to help women and adolescent girls, who are the most affected when a crisis breaks out.

"Pregnancies do not stop when a crisis begins. Therefore, we realised the importance of continuing to support the sexual reproductive health needs of pregnant women and women of reproductive age,” he said.

Alemu added that the new kits will be of great importance to the mothers and adolescent girls.

"This set of reproductive health kits are intended to assist doctors in the camps in helping mothers to have safe deliveries, reducing the chances and likelihood of maternal mortality, and also in treating post rape cases,” he noted. 

Alemu said the oraganisation will also help in expanding the options for family planning methods.

UNFPA works with the African Humanitarian Action (AHA) to implement its activities intended to promote reproductive health in Mugombwa and Kigeme refugee camps. AHA provides medical services in refugee camps.

Dr Eric Vladescu Ayirwanda, the medical coordinator of AHA at Kigeme Refugee Camp, said no development could be achieved if the lives of a mother and child are not taken care of.

"You know people living in the camp are fragile, especially pregnant women. They do not have enough means to meet their needs. If they get such a support, it is an answer to their problems,” he said.

He said the Kigeme Refugee Camp has about 20,000 refugees, 270 of whom are pregnant women.

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