Nyankenke residents in Gicumbi District have no reason to worry about access to health services following the inauguration of a new health post expected to improve maternal health services in the area.

The facility, launched on Tuesday, was constructed under a five-year Maternal, New Born and Child Health (MNCH) project implemented by World Vision with funding from the Government of Australia through the Australian Africa Community Engagement Scheme (AACES).

The Rwf24 million project aims at improving lives of women, children and persons with disabilities, while strengthening the existing government systems and structures, especially in the sectors of Rutare, Kageyo and Nyankenke in Gicumbi District.

Over 3,000 people from Nyankenke Sector and neighbouring sectors are also expected to benefit from the faciility, according to Alphonse Nkundakozera,the in charge of social affairs in Nyankenke in Gicumbi District.

Alice Oyaro, the senior programme manager at the Australian High Commission, thanked residents for their contribution towards construction of the facility and asked them to protect such infrastructure.

"The post will provide basic materials to mainly improve maternal and infant health in the area, support nurses and community health workers’ training,” she said.

Maternal, New Born and Child health project works in partnership with three other health centres of Rutare, Muhondo, and Kigogo all in Gicumbi.

Jacqueline Akingeneye, a resident, said the new health facility will increase access to health services.

"We are happy to have a health post through the partnership of citizens, local leaders and sponsors. It was difficult to take pregnant women to Kigogo Health Centre because it is far away,” Akingeneye said.

Early childhood development centres

Meanwhile, Dr Irene Mbugua, East Africa region MNCH project coordinator for World Vision, said the project also initiated childcare centres to prevent malnutrition and promote child protection where more than 600 children under five years in eight sectors of Gicumbi are cared for.

Belturde Mukakarangwa, a medical counsellor in Rutare Sector, said childcare centres bring together caregivers within the community to look after children.

"Mothers prepare meals for the children and engage in activities that keep them busy. The food is brought by the guardians. Children are gathered in the morning and are picked at an agreed upon time in the afternoon. The centres have ended the problem of malnutrition in the area. We were trained on how to prepare balanced diet,” Mukakarangwa said.

The MNCH project has also provided basic equipment and training of health professionals on women and children health, provided knitting machines to empower women and persons with disabilities and helped in the creation of cooperatives.

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