Ongera micronutrient powder distributed door to door during Child Health Week Campaign


Rutsiro, Rwanda. All the districts across the country, with the support of the Ministry of health through Rwanda Biomedical Centre in collaboration with the National Child Development Agency (NCDA), are implementing the Child Health Week slated for 22 February to 7 March 2021. Distribution of Ongera Intungamubiri  is one of the services provided to every child aged between 6 to 23 months to improve the nutrition and health of young children. This service is provided door to door by Community Health workers, to comply with COVID-19 measures, with the support of Mutwarasibo under coordination of village leader and other local leaders.

MNPs (Ongera Intungamubiri) are products designed specifically to address micronutrient deficiencies, including anaemia, by improving the quality of children’s diets and prevent vitamin and mineral deficiencies where access to a diverse range of nutritious foods is limited.

Nirere Solange, is a young mother of 26 years of age, living in Karungu village, Bunyunju Cell, Kivumu sector, Rutsiro district; if you ask her about her experience about ongera micronutrient powder, she will smile shyly and tell you the positive change this food supplement has made to the growth and development of her child.

“I am really satisfied with tangible results of Ongera micronutrient because my child is growing well thanks to the supplements.”

Mrs. Nirere says that she takes balanced diet,  Ongera micronutrient as supplements to breastfeeding, and keeps hygiene to take care of herself and  her child.

“I eat vegetables every day, I often cook simple foods that contain energy such as bananas, potatoes or cassava, I add beans and vegetables, and take porridge. Sometimes I eat passion fruits because they are locally available here. All this boosts breastfeeding for my baby.”

Ongera micronutrient powder contains 15 vitamins and iron rich for Children feeding. Nirere is sure that Ongera micronutrient has risen hope for good health and bright future for her baby and adds that taking balanced diet and Ongera has helped her baby gain weight and grow well.

 “He has been gaining weight since he was six months old and he does often get sick. I use Ongera micronutrient in light foods, I give my child food that he can swallow, once he is done, I add on more food he can finish, this is how I feed my child on a daily basis.”

Nirere concluded that whenever she brings her child to community health workers for growth monitoring, she notices rapid weight gain in her.

Uwiduhaye Diane, a 23-year-old mother, resident of Karungu Model Village in Bunyunju Cell in Kivumu Sector; standing with the community health workers outside of her home, Uwiduhaye smiles proudly and receives Ongera micronutrients from community health workers and said Ongera micronutrient helped her child regain weight.

“My child lost weight when he started eating, I went to the health centre for nutrition assessment. They gave me Ongera micronnutrient and taught me how to use it. I started using it, my child regained weight. ”

 
 
Photo caption: Community health workers distributing ongera to mothers at their homes
 

Mrs. Uwiduhaye added that since she has started using the micronutrient powder, her child kept on growing and  has noticeable weight gain.

Adrien Sinibagiwe, a supervisor of Community Health Workers at Kivumu Health Centre, says that Ongera micronutrient has improved nutrition status of the children. He adds that, during growth monitoring session, when they find a case of malnutrition for instance in yellow color, the child is cared for until he/she recovers.

 

Rwanda has scaled-up a national integrated point-of-use fortification programme, aiming to improve the diets of all children aged 6–23 months. The nutritional status of children in Rwanda has improved steadily in recent years, with a decline in stunting from 38 per cent  in 2015 to 33 % in 2020. The target of the Government of Rwanda is to reach 18% of stunting by 2024.

 

By Gaspard HABARUREMA

 

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