Infant mortality regulation policy and fertility in Rwanda(2009-2013): a case of King Faisal Hospital Maternity Department

Abstract

ABSTRACT The main goal of this study was to find out the impact of Infant mortality regulation policy on fertility in Rwanda. The specific objectives the study were: To find out the trend of infant mortality rate at King Faisal Hospital Kigali in Rwanda, to examine the factors accelerating infant mortality rate at King Faisal Hospital Kigali in Rwanda and to investigate the strategies to improve the infant survival at king Faisal Hospital Kigali in Rwanda as a means to control fertility. The study will be of great importance to many stakeholders including government, academicians, public hospitals, general public mentioned but a few; as it will add to the existing literature and provide strategies on how to reduce the infant mortality rate as a way of controlling fertility rates in Rwanda. The study adopted a qualitative and quantitative design to illustrate the impact of infant mortality rate on the fertility rate in Rwanda basing on respondents views. It involved a target population of 130 from whom a sample of 97 was selected using the Krejuice and Morgan 1970 table for determining sample size. The study used both primary and secondary data where primary data was collected using structured self-administered questionnaires and secondary data was got from reviewing existing documents about infant mortality and fertility in Rwanda and the world over. The researcher ensured validity and reliability of data collection tools through testing them with few members in a pilot study. Data collected from respondents was edited, coded and put in SPSS computer package for further analysis; Findings indicated that the higher the infant mortality the higher the fertility rate as parents are always scared that due to uncontrolled factors the children may die so they must have a great number of them for insurance against high death rates. It can be said that there have been tremendous changes in infant mortality rate after the introduction of the infant mortality regulation policy with the most desirable trend which was highly ranked by respondents that it has reduced as a result of the proper implementation of the strategies adopted by government and health centers among which KFHK is a referral. It was thus recommended that Rwanda Government through ministry of health and health centers should reinforce on the considerations for sensitization of women to come for antenatal checkups, practices vaccination against early childhood diseases to reduce infant mortality rate and increased affordability to health care services as a way of reducing infant mortality rate and fertility respectively.