EASTERN PROVINCE

RWAMAGANA — Proper care should be given to expectant mothers to ensure proper growth of the unborn baby. The advice was given by Brigitte Izabiriza, a consultant for the Ministry of Health, during a consultative meeting on early childhood development, in Rwamagana district on Wednesday.

Talking to The New Times shortly after the meeting, Izabiriza, explained that the life of a child from postnatal period to six years of age has big impact to the child’s growth and development.

The meeting attracted Eastern Province health workers, Police, NGOs, people in charge of gender equality, education, and religious leaders- aimed at establishing the problems encountered by children right from the time of conception.

"Research shows that a child develops in a given way of living from pregnancy to three years, where the brain receives and develops according to the surrounding,” Izabiriza explained.

She observed that some parents do not give proper care and love that a child needs when still in the womb and after birth. She attributed the problem to conflicts in families, drunkenness, and carelessness on the part of some parents who abdicate their parental roles.

"We thought that this problem (little time for children) is experienced in towns, but it was realised that it is everywhere. Some do it due to the job demands while others do it in trying to forge life,” she said. 

She decried the suffering of some children due to the effects of HIV/AIDS which she said has denied many children parental love. 

Mussa Rwema, in charge of education, in Rwamagana district pointed out lack of nursery schools as some of the challenges facing children in the area. Some schools are far, making parents not to send children to school at an early age, he said.

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