Minister for Health Dr. Diane Gashumba addressing meeting Rwanda Pediatricians
Pediatricians in Rwanda have urged parents in the country to help address child health needs by always taking their children for treatment at health centers.
The child-doctors say that when the parents engage in ensuring improved child health for their children, then it will help reduce child-deaths.
Rwanda Pediatric Association noted the importance of such engagement during its second scientific conference that took place today in Kigali.
“We are urging parents to address maternal health needs and always have their children treated at health centers,” says Dr. Diane Gashumba, Minister for Health.
Doctors and health workers are trained on modern health practices including on their own conscience which is an important aspect in improving the working environment and tendency to patients.
“That is why we are training health workers and urging parents to engage in reducing child mortality.”
Under 5 year old deaths are 50 in a 1000 children and those above that age fold are 30 which government wants to reduce.
Malaria is the common cause of child deaths in Rwanda.
Sustainable Development Goals urge governments including Rwandan to implement agendas that reduce mortality amongst children and mothers.
Dr.Rosine Tuyisenge, child doctor in Kigali Central Hospital and leader of the Rwanda Pediatric Association, notes that parents don’t turn in good numbers for health care need for their children.
“There is need for parents to address their child health needs by taking them for treatment at health centers. The parents don’t turn up in good numbers. Nutrition and child health is still low and needs improvement,” she says.
There are 70 pediatricians in Rwanda that help train and teach health workers and parents to address health care needs for their children.
After the conference the pediatricians will have been able to identify challenges in addressing child health, identify child abuses, and recommend practices that improve pediatric work, show how pediatricians could improve care and elaborate non-communicable diseases that cause deaths among children.
Pediatricians will also demonstrate on how they have improved and increased in populations.
