UNITE FOR CHILDREN UNITE AGAINST AIDS

February 1, 2009

The participation of Rwanda’s male population in the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV programme

Dear friends,

I wish you a happiest new year of 2009.

A family-centred approach is a fundamental pillar to address HIV and AIDS issues relating to children. Rwanda has been implementing the Family Package initiative to support the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) programme. The Family Package addresses the psychosocial and nutritional aspects of HIV-positive mothers and their children. It strives to prevent the risks of new infection, to reduce the burden of the epidemic on people living with HIV and AIDS, to ensure treatment is available, that it is proper adhered to, and, most particularly, it aims to save the lives of infants born to HIV-positive mothers.

One of the strategies of the family centred approach is to strengthen the participation of men in PMTCT programmes and make this family package available to the entire family. The integration of family planning in the PMTCT programme requires the commitment and participation of both partners as a couple. As an example, a recent study conducted by Family Health International in 2007 revealed that there was a high level of unintended pregnancies (74%) among surveyed Rwandan women (Paediatric Conference Report, 2008).

In spite of existing policies and frameworks designed to effectively implement integrated family planning at both the national and local, decentralized, levels, this approach remains new to the majority of health workers who implement these practices at a community level. The full integrated model requires a combination of skills such as counselling, testing, as well as care and support capacities. Unfortunately, these are not yet sufficiently available in health centres and additional human, logistical and financial capacities are desperately needed to strategically implement these initiatives.

The country has a clear vision and helpful policies and strategies are being developed, including guidelines. But for these initiatives to be successful and produce intended results, more resources are needed. With you support we can make this happen and help save more lives of children and mothers.