Kirehe District, in partnership with Rwanda National Police (RNP) and the armed forces, this week launched a campaign on the promotion of hygiene and the fight against malnutrition.

The campaign, which was launched on Wednesday, saw the district deploy a team comprising three district officials plus a police and an army officer to each sector.

Each team was commissioned to sensitise and teach people about the ways to eradicate diseases resulting from malnutrition and poor hygiene. The campaign will run for a month.

"This campaign targets hygiene and we also want, in the long run, to eradicate malnutrition-related diseases,” said Jacqueline Murekatete, the vice-mayor in charge of social affairs in Kirehe District.

Speaking to The New Times on Wednesday, Murekatete said latest reports indicated that the prevalence rate of malnutrition-related diseases was at 0.4 percent and that the district had to reduce it significantly through different efforts and initiatives, including the ongoing one-month campaign.

The director of Kirehe District hospital, Jean Nepomuscene, Uwiringiyimana told The New Times that the prevalence of malnutrition-related diseases is high in the district but they receive few cases at the hospital because many are dealt with at health centres.

Regarding the factors that lead to high levels of malnutrition, Uwiringiyimana cited ignorance and negligence."Many people can afford a balanced diet but have little knowledge while others pay little attention to what they feed their children,” he said.

He added that during the campaign, they will teach people how to prepare healthy meals, among others.

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