Gisagara residents benefit from new family planning campaign

Residents of Gisagara district last week received free family planning, nutrition as well as health sensitisation services courtesy of the Baho Neza integrated campaign. Launched in April by the Government of Rwanda, through the Ministry of Rwanda, the three-year integrated health campaign is geared towards ensuring healthy and happy families through promoting maternal and child health, as well as tackle teenage pregnancy. It is implemented by various partners including Imbuto Foundation, One UN Rwanda, USAID, and Partners in Health, SNV, the World Bank and Society for Family Health (SFH) among others. As a key partner in implementing the campaign, Imbuto Foundation hosts edutainment sessions and special talks with Key groups on Positive Parenting, Parents-Adolescents Communication, and Family Planning. The campaign that was launched in April has currently been held in more than five districts across the country, reaching over 11,000 people. Participants and residents received free medical services during Baho Neza Campaign in Gisagara District. The event held in Gisagara gathered thousands of residents who also witnessed the inauguration of four health posts in Mugombwa and Muganza sector by the Ministry of Health. Among other activities, musical performances that carried campaign-related messages were featured as part of sensitization about healthy and happy families. Speaking at the event, Emmanuel Gasana, the Governor of Southern Province urged the citizens to take advantage of the services given to them by the campaign, “This support given to us by Imbuto Foundation and other partners, we have to use it and bring honour to ourselves as we build families that are healthy and happy.” Minister of Health, Dr Diane Gashumba, engaging with residents and participants of the Baho Neza Campaign in Gisagara District. Diane Gashumba the Minister of Health urged the citizens to use the health facilities for health checkups, as well as going for treatment early before their situations get worse. Rwanda has made tremendous improvement regarding maternal and child health, and is among the few countries that met Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5, by reducing the maternal mortality from 1071 in 2000 to 210 per 100,000 Live births in 2015. Despite the progress made, the Demographic Health Survey (DHS) 2014-2015 showed that Rwanda still bears a heavy burden of high neonatal mortality (20 per 1000 live births), high infant mortality (32 per 1000 live births), high under five mortality (50 per 1000 live births), high maternal mortality (210 per 100,000 live births) and high malnutrition rate (stunting 38%). Residents of Gisagara District participating in the Baho Neza Campaign. Furthermore, the country is also facing an increase of teenage pregnancy, which is now estimated at 7.3%. Additionally, 7% of adolescent women aged 15-19 years old are already mothers or pregnant with their first child according to the DHS 2015. These are some of the reasons Baho Neza that the government introduced Baho Neza. Young Artists from the ArtRwanda-Ubuhanzi project performed plays, poems and songs aimed at sensitising the public on the Baho Neza Campaign, Family Planning and healthy living in general. Minister of Health, Dr Diane Gashumba, engaging with residents and participants of the Baho Neza Campaign in Gisagara District. Participants and residents received free medical services during Baho Neza Campaign in Gisagara District. Minister of Health, Dr Diane Gashumba, engaging with residents and participants of the Baho Neza Campaign in Gisagara District. During the Baho Neza Campaign in Gisagara District, children were provided with milk to promote nutritional balance.

News

Gisagara residents benefit from new family planning campaign