{{Imbuto Foundation through its Family Package project will conduct a meeting in Bugesera district to advocate for the Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS, both at health centre and community level.}}
The Family Package is a comprehensive initiative that was developed to build on the benefits of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS (PMTCT) interventions, by extending basic care and support to couples living with HIV and AIDS; providing nutritional support; and training on income generating activities.
The First Lady of Rwanda launched the Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission Campaign in Bugesera in 2011.
As one of the follow up activities, Imbuto Foundation with the support of UNAIDS funding is working to set up a model facility that will integrate Elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV and AIDS (EMTCT) services.
The model will be piloted in Ngeruka health centre, one of the Family package sites in Bugesera District, Eastern Province.
According to data at the Ngeruka health center, in 2012 there were 106 malnourished children, of whom 101 were moderately malnourished and 5 severely malnourished.
Ngeruka sector is one of the poorest sectors identified by the Rwandan government and this has a direct negative impact on the health status of its residents.
In this on this basis that Imbuto Foundation selected Ngeruka Health center to pilot the EMTCT and thereby strengthen community involvement in EMTCT services.
The key audience in this advocacy meeting will consist of local leaders, Family Package clients, heads of health centers, community health workers and the Ministry of Health.
The meeting is expected to draw up a set of clear strategies of how leaders at all levels can contribute to support Ngeruka Health centre.
Acknowledging the effects of poverty, gender inequality and food insecurity as key drivers in the spread of HIV and AIDS, the ‘Family Package’, was designed in 2002 under the initiative of the First Lady of Rwanda, to promote socio-economic empowerment, male involvement in PMTCT services, psychosocial support using Peer Education approach, sensitization on Family planning use of services and nutritional promotion through Income Generating Activities (IGAs) in addition to standard clinical PMTCT services.
To date, Imbuto Foundation is implementing this project in 27 sites in 6 Districts of the country.
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