WUNRN
From Prof. Shirley Randell AO, Ph.D
Managing Director of SRIA Rwanda,
Ltd.
Strong Hearts, Strong Minds, Strong
Women Program
AMIDST GLOBAL TURMOIL FOR WOMEN,
GOOD NEWS FROM RWANDA
*Life expectancy of Rwandans has
increased by almost 20 years in the last two decades, from 48 to 65 years since
1990, according to the May 2014 World Health Organization World Health
Statistics Report. This 17-year increase is the 6th highest leap in the world
during that persiod, almost 3 times the average increase, and 3 years more than
the global average for low-income countries.
*The Rwanda life span increase is
attributed to the sharp drop in child mortality, from 182 per 100,000 children
in 2000 to 55, putting Rwanda on track to reach the Millennium Development Goal
(MDG) of reducing the mortality of children under age 5 by 2/3. The reduction
is also attributed to vaccination and prevention programs for the most
common life-threatening diseases in young children - treating malaria,
diarrhoea, and pneumonia.
*Rwanda has reduced maternal
mortality by 3/4. The country is on track to meet the MDG target of 100% of
women receiving care from a skilled health professional at least once during
pregnancy.
*In Rwanda there are multiple
programs to target the nutritional health of pregnant and lactating mothers,
and children under 2 years of age, including training community health workers
who bring health services closer to the population of Rwanda. They also provide
family planning, vaccinations, and HIV testing.
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