Rwanda News

This year the World Aids Day was launched on December 1, 2014 at Lemigo Hotel, Kigali, with the theme entitled: “The Role of Media in Early Treatment to Reduce HIV related Morbidity and Mortality”. The function gathered representatives of media community, newspapers, radio, television, and social media.

Kigali, 2 March 2015 -- The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning of Rwanda have organized a two day workshop from 2 to 3 March 2015 to help governments improve health and increase revenues by identifying “best practices” for tobacco taxation.

On 24 March, WHO Rwanda organized World Tuberculosis Day under the theme “Early detection and diagnosis for correct care of tuberculosis for all”. On this day, many activities were conducted at the central level and each district for the success of World TB day through advocacy, communication and social mobilization activities.

From 30 March to 3 April 2015, Rwanda organized its annual Integrated Mother and Child Health (MCH) Week. The MCH Week takes place twice a year and serves as an opportunity to catch up with health service provisions to particularly vulnerable, hard to reach communities and children that are eligible for vaccination but have not yet received it.

From 23rd to 24th May, the Government of Rwanda, Ministry of Disasters Management and Refugees and Ministry of Health, UN Agencies in Rwanda, namely UNHCR, UNICEF, WHO and other Partners have organized an integrated immunization campaign for children under 15 years in the Burundi Refugees Camp of Mahama, District Kirehe, Eastern Province.

Christophe Harerimana, a school teacher for more than 20 years in Rwanda, became worried in recent years. Many of his students were coming to class ill and were having trouble concentrating.

“The children were having abdominal pain, diarrhoea and nausea. This made it difficult for them to follow the lessons,” says Harerimana, who teaches science and Kinyarwanda, the local language of his village, in the Musanze District.

According to different surveys conducted in Rwanda, the rate of Fully Immunized Children (FIC) has reached and maintained to more than 90% for several years. Due to high routine immunization coverage and periodic supplementary immunization activities (SIAs), the country is on track to meet global target of Vaccine preventable diseases control, elimination and eradication. In fact, the last case of wild polio virus was reported in 1993, neonatal tetanus has been eliminated in 2004 and Rwanda is in process to implement measles elimination mode of surveillance countrywide.

Analysis of health data from countries in Africa reflects differences in country specific interpretation of indicators, resulting in difficulties in comparison of data and measuring regional progress. At a national level, countries have highlighted the need for improved data on malaria interventions and related trends to inform their actions.

Kigali, 20 October 2015 - The WHO Country Office in Rwanda, through its continuous support to the Ministry of Health, has donated 6 355 000 albendazole tablets to support the upcoming deworming campaign against soil transmitted helminthiasis.

11 January 2016 - Massive influx of Burundians into south western Rwanda started around March 31st 2015 as a result of the on-going political crisis in that country. These refugees are accommodated in Mahama Camp in Kirehe District of Rwanda.

A salmonella Typhi outbreak was confirmed in the camp which has a refugee population of 44,965 in November 2015. UNHCR, Ministry of Health and other partners including WHO, UNICEF, ARC and SCF responded swiftly to curtail the spread of the disease among the population and surrounding communities.