RWANDA FAMILY HEALTH INITIATIVES

Implementation will be by the Rwandan Central Population Office, the Ministry of Health Prefecture Hospitals, and the commune-level Development Councils. The subproject will be implemented in conjunction with the Pathfinder Fund pilot project as part of A.I.D."s regional Family Health Initiatives Project. A total of three regional and seven prefecture hospitals will be staffed with trained, indigenous health teams, composed of 14 nurses and medical assistants, and 14 social assistants, to provide MCH and FP services. USAID will contract a consultant to train physicians and assist with other aspects of the subproject. The three regional teams will serve in the Pathfinder pilot project. Community health motivators (CHMs) will be trained and installed in each of 143 communes. The 300 CHMs will work with local Development Councils and will perform outreach education and health motivation services for each commune"s 34,000 members. The prefecture teams will supervise all CHM activities. A national plan for complete MCH/FP coverage will be drawn up by the consultant as a blueprint for Phase Two of the Rwandan Family Planning Program. A Central Population Office (CPO) will be created to administer the plan and will be staffed with 13 government officials. A short-term observation tour in the U.S. will be provided to three GOR leaders, and long-term training given to ten professionals. Each of the three regional teams and the central staff team will also receive a vehicle to facilitate outreach programs to the communes and to assist in supervising the prefecture teams.