Health in Rwanda

Between 2005 and 2013, life expectancy increased from 55.2 to 64.0,[4] under-5 mortality decreased from 106.4 to 52.0 per 1,000 live births,[5] and incidence of tuberculosis has dropped from 101 to 69 per 100,000 people.

[8] Despite these improvements, however, the country's health profile remains dominated by communicable diseases,[9] and the United States Agency for International Development has described "significant health challenges",[10] including the rate of maternal mortality, which it describes as "unacceptably high",[10] as well as the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic.

[12] When looking at the right to health with respect to children, Rwanda achieves 100.0% of what is expected based on its current income.

[13] In regards to the right to health amongst the adult population, the country achieves only 94.4% of what is expected based on the nation's level of income.

[17] Due to a variety of reasons such as poverty, poor roads due to the hilly terrain in the rural areas, misleading traditional beliefs and inadequate knowledge on pregnancy related issues, 31 percent of the women end up delivering at home despite having a public health insurance scheme.

Prevalence of some diseases is declining, including the elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus[24] In 1990 there were 163 under five deaths for every 1000 live births.

This can be explained by a number of factors such as increased awareness among the populations both rural and urban through education programmes as well as improved coverage of effective interventions.

[30] In June 2012, 113 people with advanced HIV disease in Rwanda were receiving anti-retroviral therapy, making Rwanda (along with much richer Botswana) one of only two countries in sub-Saharan Africa to achieve the United Nations goal of universal access to antiretroviral therapy.

In the post genocide era, 1995 the numbers were still the same but the life expectancy had increased to 40 years as now HIV programmes had gradually begun.

[33] Although more analysis is needed to understand the complex interplay of factors, the Malaria and Other Parasitic Diseases Division of Rwanda's Ministry of Health attributes the increase in malaria cases in part to expanded access to healthcare, inadequate coverage with effective bednets, agricultural environmental modifications, mosquito resistance to pyrethroid insecticides, and change in mosquito behavior towards outdoor biting.

[33] With increasing malaria cases seen throughout the region, trans-border movement of people might also contribute to transmission.

[33] Expansion and enhancement of Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) in the six point Stop Tuberculosis (TB) strategy described by Laserson and Wells has been implemented in Rwanda by the health ministry's integrated program to combat leprosy and TB since 1990.