Support from the ‘Stunting Prevention and Reduction Project (SPRP)’ project is playing a big role in preventing malnutrition among children, beneficiaries have testified.

Implemented by Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) in collaboration with the National Child Development Agency and local leaders, the project is, among other things, constructing toilets for needy households in Huye district.

Malnutrition is a major health problem, especially in developing countries.

Water supply, sanitation, and hygiene, given their direct impact on infectious diseases, especially diarrhoea, are important for preventing malnutrition according to studies.

According to the World Health Organisation, roughly 50 percent of all malnutrition is associated with repeated diarrhoea or intestinal worm infections as a direct result of inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene. 

In Huye district, at least 1,515 needy families and 1,638 community Early Childhood Developments Centres (ECDs) were provided with iron sheets, doors, nails, water filters and other construction materials to build toilets to improve sanitation and hygiene under Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) package support.

"In our community, we used to have children who were affected by diseases due to lack of hygiene. Today, this has improved thanks to this project, children are no longer sickly. I have understood that when a child has hygiene, they do not develop malnutrition. Nutrition plays its role well when children have hygiene,” Regine Nibagwire, a parent from Nyakagezi cell of Huye sector said.

Nibagwire, who has a child in an in-home-based ECD, told The New Times that WASH facilities have improved the health status of children in ECDs.

Nathan Hitiyaremye, the director of public health in Huye district said that improving hygiene is one of the tools being used to prevent malnutrition.

"In order to prevent malnutrition and stunting among children, Huye district has committed to educate residents about the role of hygiene and sanitation. The biggest tool is an awareness campaign about the role of improved toilets in every family,” he said.

He said that families have also been sensitised to avoid living in residential houses together with livestock.

"This is in addition to increasing piped water in households to help improve hygiene and sanitation,” he said.

Hitiyaremye said that the awareness campaign to improve hygiene is based on the fact that about 80 percent of diseases are caused by lack of hygiene.

"Diarrhoea is one of hygiene related diseases. It has bad effects on children as it plays a role in worsening malnutrition among children. When there is a lack of quick intervention, the child can lose their life. Diarrhoea reduces children’s immune system which paves way for other diseases,” he explained.

The official said that there is a target for every household to get toilets with all requirements.

"The toilet must be roofed and the hole must always be covered to avoid flies which can spread diseases such as Diarrhoea. The toilet must also have a hand-washing facility,” he said.

Thanks to the project’s interventions, stunting in Huye district has decreased from 42.5 percent in 2015 to 29.2 percent.

Globally, according to WHO, one in three people still lack access to hygienic sanitation facilities – including 946 million people who defecate in the open, increasing the risk of exposure to faecal pathogens for themselves and members of their communities.

Children sing for joy during an exercise at the center

An estimated 81 percent of the world’s population does not wash hands with soap after contact with excreta.

The proportion of the population with a handwashing facility with soap and water in the household is less than 50 percent in most sub-Saharan countries.

WHO estimates that 842,000 deaths from diarrhoeal diseases each year could be prevented by improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

Studies on the health impact of handwashing behaviour have also reported reductions in pneumonia (50 percent), flu (40 percent) and infective conjunctivitis (67 percent).

Basic hygienic practices by birth attendants and new mothers can reduce the risk of infections, sepsis and death for infants and mothers by over 15 percent.

Community health workers help parents to prepare porridge at Huye based ECDs . Dan Nsengiyumva

In Huye district, at least 1,515 needy families and 1,638 community Early Childhood Developments Centres (ECDs) were provided with iron sheets, doors, nails, water filters. All photos by Dan Nsengiyumva

Children  drink porridge at the Center.