Rwanda News

On Saturday 8th March, the world marked International Women’s Day and celebrated the progress made by women globally, whilst illuminating the progress that still has to be made to guarantee equity for women. This year, the global theme for international Women’s day was: ‘equality for women, is progress for all’.

Monday 24th March 2014 was world TB Day. World TB Day was designed to commemorate the discovery of the TB causing bacteria, tuberculosis bacillus by Dr. Robert Koch in 1882. Currently, TB is still endemic in many nations around the world and affects 9 million people each year, and kills 1.3 million annually.

On Tuesday 11th March 2014, Maternal and Child Health Week Rwanda was launched in Gisagara district. Rwanda is a high performing country on track to reach MDG 4 and 5. This progress made can be attributed to a combination of strategies employed to strengthen the Rwandan health system and make quality of services accessible to a wide population.

On 16th January 2014, Rwanda officially launched a six-month national campaign to improve personal, domestic and public places hygiene. The ceremony took place at a Primary School in Nkombo Island, in Rusizi District, in Western Province. The technical and financial part for the launching has been supported by WHO and UNICEF among others.

« Second hand smoke kills »

Rwanda has celebrated the World No Tobacco Day on 14 June 2013. The theme worldwide was "Ban to Tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship". In Rwanda, the theme has been adapted to the current priority in fighting against tobacco, which is "Second Hand Smoke Kills".

Activities along the previous week to the celebration day were oriented to sensitization activities reminding communities to not smoke in public places and closed areas. The messages were conveyed to general public but especially to young people.

As part of its ongoing efforts to prevent measles and rubella, Rwandan health workers will vaccinate nearly five million children between the ages of 9 months and 14 years during the four-day measles-rubella vaccination campaign, which begins today in a village outside Kigali. In addition, girls attending school in Primary 6 and Secondary 3 grades will also receive their first doses of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to protect them against the leading cause of cervical cancer.

The second Mother and Child Health Week 2012 edition has been organized from 16 to 18 October 2012. The official ceremony at national level took place in Karongi District, Western Province. The Guest of honor of this ceremony was the Minister of Health. The United Nations Agencies and other Health Partners have been actively involved in all activities relating to organization and celebration of the Week. The theme of the Week was: “Handwashing with soap is more than just a day.”

Ministers of Health from the East African Community Countries (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda) and delegates gathered from 11 to 13 September, 2012, at the Serena Hotel in Kigali, Rwanda, for the Regional Conference on Social Health Protection in the East African Community (EAC) .

Rwanda launched officially the rotavirus vaccine (Rotateq) in its routine immunization program on 25th May 2012. The launching ceremony took place in Musanze District, Northern Province, alongside the Mother and Child Health Week with has been organised from 24 to 25 may 2012. The Guest of Honour of this ceremony was the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health.

The United Nations Agencies was represented by WHO Representative in Rwanda, Dr Delanyo DOVLO, who delivered the speech on behalf of all UN agencies and for GAVI.

Le Rwanda a célébré cette année la Journée Mondiale du Cancer le 22 mars 2012. Le thème de l’année, « Ensemble, c’est possible», a été adapté et traduit en langue nationale. Aussi, une campagne de vaccination contre le cancer de l’utérus a été organisée durant la semaine précédente.