The article in question talks about a laudable initiative of the Association of Women for the Promotion and Endogenous Development (AFPDE) which handed over a morgue and two maternity blocks to the Ruzizi health zone, in the city of Sange, in the Uvira territory, South Kivu. These infrastructures were built and equipped thanks to an emergency project financed by the German Foreign Ministry and executed by AFPDE.
The project aims to address the needs of refugees and internally displaced people, as well as vulnerable members of the local community in Sange and its surrounding areas. The new facilities will improve the quality of health care and reduce risks for pregnant women.
The handover of the morgue at the General Referral Hospital and the maternity blocks at the Pamoja Tunaweza Medical Center and the 8th CEPAC Health Center was enthusiastically received by the medical staff. Before that, pregnant women had to be sent elsewhere to give birth, posing safety and comfort concerns. The new facilities will therefore make it possible to guarantee complete monitoring of pregnant women and offer them a suitable environment in which to give birth.
AFPDE’s two-year emergency project covers a total of 29 medical structures spread across 7 health zones in the region. Besides building infrastructure, the NGO also provides medicines and pays monthly incentive bonuses to medical staff.
This AFPDE initiative is a concrete example of the importance of supporting maternal and child health in regions affected by conflict and population displacement. By providing essential infrastructure and strengthening the capacities of medical personnel, AFPDE contributes to improving access to health care and reducing maternal and child mortality.
It is essential to support and highlight such initiatives which have a concrete impact on the lives of local communities. Projects of this type must be encouraged and financially supported in order to guarantee equitable and quality access to health services for all.