Rwanda has organized from 14 to 18 May 2018 its annual Integrated Mother and Child Health Week. The Mother and Child Health week takes place twice a year and serves as an opportunity to catch up with health services provision, particularly to the hard to reach, the drop out and the most vulnerable. The Mother and Child Health Week was integrated in the African Vaccination Week and the World Malaria Day celebrations.

The launching ceremony took place in Rubavu District, Western Province on 14th May. The Guests of Honour were the Minister of Health and the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion as the Week was also dedicated the family promotion activities. Among other guests were the Executive Secretary of Western Province, and the Vice Mayor of Rubavu District. The United Nations Agencies were also represented by UNICEF and WHO. Other Partners present were USAID, World Vision...

In her speech, the Minister of Health, Dr Diane Gashumba reminded communities that this important initiative of Mother and Child Health Week has improved lives of mothers and children by covering early and basic health needs of the communities. She urged men and women to use family planning methods in order to have healthy children. Other speakers of the day were the USAID Representative on behalf of Development Partners and the Executive Secretary of the Province. The USAID Representative, on behalf of Partners, congratulated the Ministry of Health for organizing the Mother and Child Health Week every year, with well planned activities targeting all citizens for improving their well-being, especially women and children. She promised also that Development Partners will continue to support the Government efforts to improve health of communities, especially the most vulnerable. UN agencies, such as WHO and UNICEF have been actively involved technically and financially in the preparation and organization of MCH Week.

The closing ceremony of the Mother and Child Health Week was dedicated to the celebration of the World malaria Day on 18th May 2018 and took place in Kayonza District where communities were mobilized to take active responsibility in fighting malaria.

During this Mother and Child Health Week, around 5 millions of children aged 9 months to 16 years old were targeted.

This Integrated Mother and Child Health Week included various interventions such as deworming of children from 1 to 15 years of age, distribution of vitamin A supplements for all children under 5 and breastfeeding mothers, screening of malnutrition among children under five, promotion of family planning methods for parents and teenagers’ pregnancy, sensitization on hygiene practices, prevention of malaria and promotion of full immunization of children.