UR Public Health Students' Association

Happening now, @rrpplus is convening a three-day advocacy strategy workshop from 28–30 October 2026 at Savana Hotel, Bugesera District, in collaboration with @RBCRwandaand with support from @giz_rwandathrough the Rights-Based Program (RBP). Building on the progress made through the 2024 Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) cycle, supported by PEPFAR through @UNAIDS, and the 2026 CLM data collection conducted across four districts and seven health facilities. The 2026 CLM exercise covered COR UNUM and Biryogo in @Nyarugenge; Kicukiro and Gatenga in @KicukiroDistr; Remera and Kinyinya in @Gasabo_District; and Nyagasambu in @RwamaganaDistr. Using five digital tools, the exercise documented community experiences with HIV services, including feedback from service users, key populations, adolescents and young people, alongside facility observations and facility managers. The exercise reported 1,231 respondents, providing a foundation for further data validation, analysis and reporting. In his opening remarks, Mr. CYIZA Jean Claude, CLM Program Manager at RRP+, emphasized the importance of evidence-based advocacy and called on participants to transform community-generated evidence into actionable recommendations that address service delivery gaps and strengthen accountability. The goal is clear: move beyond data collection to coordinated action, ensuring community evidence informs decisions, strengthens accountability and drives improvements in HIV service delivery. #RRPPlus #CLM #EvidenceToAction #RightsBasedApproach #HIVResponse @RwandaHealth @RBCRwanda @Rwanda_Child @RwandaGender @ahfrwanda @soscvrwanda @sfhRwanda @Rwanda_Edu @giz_rwanda @mutambukaDeo @nsanzimanasabin @JNdayizigiye @CMuvunyi @TuyishimeAlbert @BrianChirombo @RichardAmenyah @AndrewGasoziNtw @HindHassan_ @uphls @InterfaithRda @HopeandHomes @RwandaYouthArts @RwandaEmergency @unicefrw @Rwanda_CCM @GlobalFund @WHORwanda @UNAIDSRwanda @ICAP_ColumbiaU @WVRwanda @UNFPARwanda

📢 Integrating HIV Services into Routine Healthcare: Turning Community Voices into Action! Today, @rrpplus, in collaboration with the @RBCRwanda and with support from @giz_rwanda, convened a joint dissemination meeting at Grand Legacy Hotel in Kigali. The meeting brought together government representatives, development partners, civil society organizations (CSOs), and community representatives to discuss findings from community listening sessions on HIV service integration and lessons from the pilot on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) prevention and response through community peer education. 🗣️ What did communities tell us about HIV service integration? The listening sessions involved 300 participants across 28 focus group discussions and 166 individual interviews, capturing experiences, concerns and recommendations on integrating HIV services into routine healthcare. ✅ 63% of respondents identified improved confidentiality as a potential benefit of integration, while 59%highlighted the value of one-stop care. 🤝 Key recommendations emerging from today's discussions include: 1️⃣ Strengthen counselling for people living with HIV (PLHIV) accessing HIV services through outpatient departments (OPDs), ensuring continued psychosocial support and confidential, person-centred care. 2️⃣ Improve ART pharmacy appointment scheduling to facilitate timely medication pick-up, reduce waiting times and support continuity of treatment. 3️⃣ Maintain existing HIV service support structures, including Peer Educators, recognizing their essential role in counselling, adherence support, appointment reminders, tracing clients lost to follow-up and linking communities to health facilities. 4️⃣ Include Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) in the HIV service integration model to promote comprehensive and coordinated HIV care. 5️⃣ Review ART medication packaging to protect confidentiality and minimize the risk of inadvertent disclosure of HIV status. 6️⃣ Promote economic empowerment for PLHIV to help address socioeconomic barriers that may affect access to healthcare and continuity of treatment. 🏥 RBC emphasized that HIV service integration is a process, not a one-time change, and that the engagement of people living with HIV is a must throughout this process. Their meaningful participation is essential to ensure that integration responds to community needs, protects rights and strengthens the quality of care. RRP+ Executive Director, Dr. Deo MUTAMBUKA highlighted that a successful HIV service integration must go beyond bringing services together under one roof. It requires strong counselling, efficient appointment systems, sustained peer support, comprehensive services, confidentiality safeguards and socioeconomic support for people living with HIV. RRP+ calls for continued collaboration among government institutions, development partners, CSOs, health facilities and communities to translate these recommendations into practical actions that make HIV services more accessible, inclusive, confidential and responsive to people's needs. Community voices must remain at the centre of decisions affecting HIV service delivery. #RRPPlus #HIVServiceIntegration #PLHIV #CommunityVoices #PeerEducators #PMTCT #PersonCentredCare #Rwanda @RwandaHealth @RBCRwanda @Rwanda_Child @RwandaGender @ahfrwanda @soscvrwanda @sfhRwanda @Rwanda_Edu @giz_rwanda @mutambukaDeo @nsanzimanasabin @JNdayizigiye @CMuvunyi @TuyishimeAlbert @BrianChirombo @RichardAmenyah @AndrewGasoziNtw @HindHassan_ @uphls @InterfaithRda @HopeandHomes @RwandaYouthArts @RwandaEmergency @unicefrw @Rwanda_CCM @GlobalFund @WHORwanda @UNAIDSRwanda @ICAP_ColumbiaU @WVRwanda @UNFPARwanda

Reaching Young People with Trusted Information for a Healthier Future! We have successfully concluded our Community Literacy Campaign in Bumbogo Sector, Gasabo District, on Tuesday, bringing young people and community members together through football, interactive debates and health education. Implemented by RRP+ in partnership with @RBCRwanda , with support from @soscvrwanda , @RDA_Rwanda and other partners, the campaign promotes informed health and life decisions among young people. ⚽ Why Do We Use Sports and Debates to Reach Young People? Football attracts young people and community members in a familiar and engaging environment, creating opportunities to share important health messages. Interactive debates give young people space to ask questions, express their views, challenge misconceptions and discuss solutions to the challenges they face. The campaign addresses key issues affecting young people aged 10-24, including adolescent sexual and reproductive health, HIV and STI prevention, tuberculosis (TB) awareness, teenage pregnancy prevention, gender-based violence, consent, healthy relationships, mental health, drug use, harmful alcohol consumption, healthy lifestyles and non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention, including Type 1 diabetes awareness. The campaign also promotes early health-seeking behaviour and access to appropriate youth-friendly health and psychosocial support services. Basic mental health support was provided, encouraging young people to recognize emotional challenges and seek help when needed. 🏫 MINEDUC Calls on Teachers to Provide Trusted Health Information in Schools MUNGANYINKA BEATHA, the representative of the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC), emphasized the important role teachers play in helping young people access accurate and trusted information about sexual and reproductive health. She encouraged teachers to use the educational materials and knowledge available to them to guide learners, respond responsibly to their questions, correct misinformation and support informed decision-making. 🎓 Supporting Young Mothers to Return to School The campaign also highlighted efforts to help young mothers continue their education after experiencing early or teenage pregnancy. Through DHL Got Heart Funds, in collaboration with RRP+, support was provided to help beneficiaries return to school and continue learning. This included school fees and school materials, alongside livestock support intended to strengthen household livelihoods and improve families’ living conditions. 🏆 Recognizing and Motivating Participants Awards were presented to all four teams from the four participating schools in recognition of their commitment, teamwork and participation in football matches and debates, motivating them to continue engaging in healthy and positive community activities. 🙏 Appreciation to Our Partners RRP+ sincerely thanks Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda, @DHLAfrica , @Rwanda_Edu , @RDA_Rwanda , @Gasabo_District local leaders, educators, health professionals, community members and all other partners for their collaboration and commitment to youth empowerment and community health literacy. Trusted Information. Healthy Choices. Brighter Futures! #soberGen #HeheNicyuma, #EjoHawe, #MyHealthMyFuture #HIVPrevention, #SayNoToDrugs For assistance or concerns, call RRP+ Toll-Free: 1245. @RwandaHealth @RwandaFinance @RwandaYouthArts @RwandaEmergency @giz_rwanda @UNAIDSRwanda @unicefrw @UNFPARwanda @WHORwanda @sfhRwanda @giz_rwanda @CDCgov @CDCRwanda @mutambukaDeo @nsanzimanasabin @JNdayizigiye @CMuvunyi @PaulineOkumu @TuyishimeAlbert @BrianChirombo @andrewmorley0 @RichardAmenyah @AndrewGasoziNtw @HindHassan_ @BarhamSalih @RituShroff3 @Winnie_Byanyima @GlobalFund @CityofKigali @HDIRwanda @uphls @AHFcares @InterfaithRda @UNAIDSRwanda @WVRwanda @UNAIDS