Rwanda

Introduction

The entire population of Rwanda is at risk of malaria, but transmission is most intense in the eastern and southwestern parts of the country. The annual reported number of malaria cases in 2010 was 638,669 with 670 deaths.

Progress

Rwanda has made significant progress in scaling-up malaria control interventions, including in key policy areas - banning oral artemisinin-based monotherapies, removing taxes and tariffs on all anti-malarial commodities and Community Case Management of malaria and pneumonia - as well as securing sufficient finances for universal coverage of case management and vector control interventions. Rwanda has successfully mobilised enough resources for the procurement of all antimalarial commodities required to sustain universal coverage in 2012. The country has met the Abuja target of 15% national financing for health. Rwanda has also achieved high coverage of key MNCH interventions including exclusive breastfeeding, PMTCT and DPT3.

Impact

There has been a significant decline in malaria cases and deaths in Rwanda and it is one of the countries that have achieved the target of 50% reduction in malaria deaths.

Key Challenges

• Sustaining funding in the current global financial crisis.