ECD AND HIV/AIDS IN RWANDA

RELEVANT DEMOGRAPHICS

Demo cont…. Total pop. 8,272 m Size26,338 sq,km Popl. Density380/sq.km <5 yrs pop.1,486 m <18 yrs pop.4,327 m IMR107/1,000 <5 MR196/1,000 MMR1,071/100,000 ANC 1 st attendance92% Birth at health unit31.3% DPT388% Popl. Below poverty line60% Population in rural area83%

THE SITUATION High IMR 107/1,000 Life birth one of the highest in SSA (Aggravated by HIV/AIDS) Approximately 613,000 orphans and 30% due to HIV/AIDS (2001/2 UNAIDS) Orphans by age groups (< 15yrs) 0-415% 5-935% %

Situation cont…. Limited testing facilities and willingness to test before and during the marriage High number of child-headed households and growing number of street children Limited number of systematic interventions and programmes addressing comprehensively the ECD problem

MAJOR PROBLEMS High levels of stigma and discrimination Lack of adult parental care and provision of basic needs to child-headed households Limited technical skills in counseling, medical care and home care of children affected by HIV/AIDS Weak coordination and M&E mechanisms for existing fragmented interventions

Major problems cont…. Limited financial and technical resources to address ECD & HIV/AIDS problem Difficulties in laboratory diagnosis of HIV/AIDS in young children (infants) Requirement for committed adult care giver for infected children on ARV Psychosocial problems in OVCs due to lack of proper care and social guidance

EXISTING INTERVENTIONS National policy on orphans and vulnerable children that includes those affected by HIV/AIDS National strategic framework & plan of action for HIV/AIDS including ECD Expanding VCT(48)/PMTCT (55) programmes Initial stages of ARV & treatment of OI programmes National strategy on infant and young people nutrition Free UPE policy for 9 years Solidarity funds and institutional support for indirect costs of basic education for OVC. IMCI Programme being developed with implementation structures by Ministry of health

Existing interventions cont…. Various & disjointed aspects of interventions of national and community organisations Nutritional deficiencies for OVCs and CAA due to limitations in capacities and lack of nuclear family care and guidance

FUTURE PERSPECTIVES Rapid assessment of the scope and nature of interventions at various levels by multiple development partners Develop a strategic framework for a comprehensive national action Prepare a national proposal for resource mobilisation Integrate ECD indicators in the national M&E System