How Rwanda slashed child mortality rate

Rwanda recently hit the MDG target on child mortality, reducing child mortality rates in the country from 156 deaths per 1000 children to 54 deaths per 1000 children born annually, reflecting a two-thirds decline, according to a report from UNICEF.The drop implies the country is on course to achieving the Millennium Development Goal 4 of reducing child mortality to 52 per cent by 2015. Dr. Fidel Ngabo, the Coordinator of Maternal and Child Health in the Ministry of Health, stated that four key interventions led to the success.He said that Rwanda has managed to provide total vaccination for the three major killer diseases among children under 5 which include Malaria, Diarrhea and Pneumonia.Malnutrition is one of the killers of children under the age of 5, but Ngabo noted that it has also reduced since women are being encouraged to breastfeed their children.Families are also being encouraged to have kitchen gardens where they plant vegetables, fruits and other foodstuffs to offer balanced diets to the family.Ngabo added that Community Health Workers (CHW’s) have also played a big role in the reduction of child mortality rates.“These CHW’s bring health services closer to the population. Community Health Workers diagnose and treat Malaria, Diarrhea and Pneumonia. They give family planning drugs, facilitate outreach for vaccination, and sensitize the population HIV testing,” he said.Six million mosquito nets have been distributed since 2009 and over 90 per cent of all households in the country have at least three mosquito nets.According to the 2010 DHS results, 82 per cent of the population have at least one long lasting Insecticide mosquito net and 72 per cent of pregnant women and 70 per cent of children under-five years were using bed nets. The involvement of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in early diagnosis and treatment of children Under-five had also had an impact on malaria incidence throughout the country as currently 95 per cent of children are tested and treated for malaria within 24 hours of symptoms onset. Pneumococcal vaccine has also helped reduce Pneumonia among children.Diarrhea accounts for 19 percent of all deaths in children under the age of five and is a major contributor to child mortality. Rotavirus vaccine was recently introduced to reduce diarrheal deaths among children in Rwanda.In May, this year, the country received 428,500 doses of the Rotavirus vaccine from the Gavi Global Alliance. Over 100,000, children preferably below the age of one, were expected to benefit from this vaccine.In a recent interview with Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, the Coordinator of HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) Care and Treatment Department, Rwanda managed to register universal coverage of Anti-retroviral treatment (ART).ARVs coverage is now more than 94 per cent, up from 30 per cent five years ago. The HIV treatment is given free of charge, so every infected person should be having access to it. Currently, 106,000 patients are on Anti-retroviral treatment.Mutuelle de santé, a community health insurance scheme, has helped reduce the financial barrier. Through this scheme, all children, including those from poor families have access to quality medical care, according to Nsanzimana.More women are also delivering from proper health facilities unlike in the past where some women delivered from home with the help of traditional birth attendants.“In 2005, only 19 per cent of pregnant women were delivering from health facilities, which rose to 45.2 per cent in 2007/08. But today, there are more than 69 per cent delivering from health facilities,” Dr Ngabo added.He urged the population to continue with community involvement and participation in health related programs and to utilize services given by Community health workers.

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How Rwanda slashed child mortality rate