Healthcare in Rwanda

Healthcare in Rwanda was historically of poor quality, but in recent decades has seen great improvement.

[1] In the pre-genocide era before 1994, Rwanda's healthcare was supported by the Bamako Initiative which was sponsored by UNICEF and WHO and adopted by African ministers of health in 1987.

In the post genocide period, Rwanda has had an uphill climb in the recovery of its health system as well as its economy.

[1] President Kagame made healthcare one of the priorities for the Vision 2020 development programme,[7] boosting spending on health care to 6.5% of the country's gross domestic product in 2013,[8] compared with 1.9% in 1996.

[9] The government has devolved the financing and management of healthcare to local communities, through a system of health insurance providers called mutuelles de santé.

[14] This initiative aimed to help get the most necessary materials for prevention of malaria to the most rural areas of Rwanda, such as mosquito nets and medication.

[1][17] There is a network of 58,286 community health workers who provide primary care in the 14,837 villages and make referrals.

Rwanda has a shortage of medical professionals, with only 0.84 physicians, nurses, and midwives per 1,000 residents in 2013.