World Vision Rwanda joins other partners in the health sector to curb disease that affect children

By John Mbaraga As a child focused organization, World Vision (WV) Rwanda has joined other partners in the health sector including the government of Rwanda to address all the issues affecting the wellbeing of children especially diseases. Through its Maternal New Born and Child Health Project (MNCH), World Vision Rwanda joined the Office of the First Lady, through Imbuto Foundation, to launch ‘Maternal and Child Health Week’ in Kageyo sector Gicumbi district where WV Rwanda has different health interventions through MNCH Project. Beneficiaries have expressed their gratitude towards the timely interventions, saying that families and, especially, children are bound to enormously benefit. Dr.Diane Gashumba,the minister of gender and Family promotion (L) and the State Minister in charge of Public Health and Primary Health Care, Dr Patrick Ndimubanzi. Mukabihoyiki Cynthia, 32 year old mother of two including a three year old daughter , resident of KageyoGicumbi district, says she is very happy for this week organized under MNCH Project and she is optimistic it will help her know more about how to care for her three year old daughter since it will be a reminder to her and her colleagues in the area to better care for their lives and even that of their new and un born children. “This week will act as a reminder to both lactating and even pregnant mothers of how to take good care of their lives and even those of their young and unborn children. As a parent who has a young child, this week is very important to me. I am looking forward to knowing more about how to better care for my young daughter. This has reminded me that I have to prepare balanced diet for her, practice better hygiene in order to prevent her from catching the poor hygiene-related diseases including malaria and even taking her for immunization against pneumonia and other diseases,” she said. Some children given milk during the launch. (All photos by John Mbaraga) The Maternal and Child Health Week which will run from 26th to 29th April 2016 will be used to deliver integrated packages of preventative measures to improve maternal and child health, ensure their good health, growth development and above all survival. During this week, World vision Rwanda will carry out a number of health interventions under MNCH Project including sensitization and awareness on malaria prevention and control, nutrition, especially for pregnant and lactating mothers, and children below the age of two years, sensitization and promotion of better hygiene practices in order to prevent poor hygiene related diseases,sensitization, raising awareness, promoting family planning through Health and Timely Spacing Pregnancy Model. The MNCH Project is implemented by World Vision Rwanda from 2011 and has registered a number of achievements including raising Family planning services access from 59% to 97%,the reduction of stunting by around one fifth (from 49%-41%) and reducing underweight by more than one third (from 8%-5%), adoption of nutrition and positive WASH practices, ensuring that mothers and children are well nourished and free from infections and diseases, building of new and renovation of old health centers in the area among others. Some of the children that were vaccinated during the official launch of MCH Week. World Vision runs a child sponsorship program which aims at help needy children, families and communities to access clean drinking water, sanitation, education, skills for future livelihood, nutrition, health care and participate in an age-appropriate in development processes. World Vision operates on the theory that by changing the lives of children through the child sponsorship program facilitates overall growth and development in the community, as it helps communities to build a better future through empowerment, education, income generation, and self-sufficiency.

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World Vision Rwanda joins other partners in the health sector to curb disease that affect children