RDHS 2015 findings should encourage us to work harder

At some point, I wanted to request the presenter to slow down. I wanted to slowly digest the content of each slide. On the other hand, the attention, enthusiasm and grin on the faces of the men and women in the room, including the Minister for Health and her Finance and Economic Planning counterpart were a clear sign to let the presenter carry on with his pace. I decided to concentrate on the handouts and occasionally cast a glance at the slides being projected across the room. Page after page I went through the comparisons in terms of percentages beginning with the Rwanda Demographic Health Survey of 2005 (RDHS 2005) to the RDHS 2010 and now the RDHS 2015. Obviously, the results were distinct with the latter showing either an increase in uptake of health care services or a decrease in mortality rate. Findings from the Rwanda Health Demographic Survey 2015 are not only a vivid example of how a country can rise out of ashes but also an indication of how good results can be attained as a result of political will to ensuring that the population is healthy by investing in health. This has led to equitable and increased access to health. The RDHS 2015 findings that we are celebrating are a result of policies aimed at promoting the philosophy of access to health based on gender equity, age equity, geographical equity and financial equity. In addition, the hard work and commitment of health workers, especially the Community Health Workers at the village level, cannot be dissected from other major factors that have made it possible for Rwanda to attain the current success in the health sector. According to the Rwanda Health Demographic Survey 2015 we have 91 per cent of deliveries at health facilities compared to 69 per cent in 2010, thanks to the concerted efforts of the Community Health Workers. Ninety-three per cent of children in Rwanda receive all the 11 vaccines, 83 per cent of lactating women exclusively breastfeed, 80.3 per cent of our children under five sleep under a mosquito net, while 88 per cent of pregnant women sleep under a mosquito net. In addition to Community Health Workers, innovation and the use of Information and Communication Technology have greatly contributed to a significant reduction of maternal and child mortality rates, a case in point is the M-health where Community Health Workers are using their mobile phones to monitor, report and follow up on pregnant women, thus bringing maternal mortality curve down. The 2015 Rwanda Demographic Health Survey findings are not a miracle but rather a sign of commitment from the leadership of Rwanda to rebuilding a country whose foundations were shattered in 1994. Furthermore, the findings that we are celebrating are a result of the population being able to access healthcare. This has led to seeking health care services, consequently leading to an increase in demand for quality. Health insurance (Mutuelle de Santé) is another factor that has greatly contributed to attaining the tangible results of the RDH2015 findings. Today the population seeks health care services because they are affordable; in the past people fell sick and stayed at home because of the cost involved. Again, the health sector has been built based on the administrative structure of the country that promotes full equity. At the minimum, there must be one district hospital per district, one health centre per sector, a health post and Community Health Workers at the village level. This structure is designed to assure the same level of access to the same services by all Rwandans. Such a structure has made it easy to attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in this area. Looking at the findings of the RDHS 2015, one of the lessons we can learn is that while we have attained tremendous achievements, more needs to be done; the results of the RDHS 2015 should not be the ceiling or a comfort zone but rather encourage us to work even harder to maintain the gains made and keep the curve going upward. It is also a fundamental change within the past 20 years that clearly demonstrates the efforts of different government entities working together to promote the health of all Rwandans. The success attained cannot be attributed to the Ministry of Health alone but to all the government ministries, in particular those grouped under the social cluster, and different development partners supporting the health sector. No doubt that sustainability in this field will be attained as the economy grows. The writer is the Head of Communications at the Rwanda Biomedical Centre. nathanmugume@gmail.com

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RDHS 2015 findings should encourage us to work harder