KAYONZA – Over 200 mothers were rewarded after turning out to be exemplary in respecting pre-natal care.

The ceremony organised by the Ministry of health (MINISTANTE) was held at Nyamurama health centre gardens in Kayonza district yesterday.

Dr. Léonard Kagabo an official in MINISANTE, who represented the Minister of health, said that it is encouraging to see that rural Rwandan women take medical and nursing care as recommended, before and after they get pregnancy.

He said that the initiative was a larger government move to check on population increase along with child and maternal mortality rate in the country.

"14% of Rwandan mothers still make deliveries in their homes. In 2009, 220 mothers died while giving birth…10.45% of these died due to severe bleeding, after they delayed to reach hospitals”.

"To combat the above challenges we have availed hospitals with modern ambulances, to quickly assist with transporting patients to hospitals. We have equipped maternity wards to the required standards. There are even special facilities to handle the premature deliveries,” he said.

Anita Mutesi the Kayonza vice Mayor in charge of social affairs said that Nyamurama is an exemplary sector, in the whole district.

She said that it shouldn’t thus take any body by surprise, when mothers of the area are rewarded as best performers in pre-natal care.

Batamuriza Martha, 34, a mother of 7 said that she understood the importance of family planning, after heeding advice from the community health counsellors.

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