In its five-year plan ending in 2029 (NST2), the Rwandan government has committed to reducing the rate of stunting among children under five years old from 33% to below 15%.
This goal will be achieved by implementing a comprehensive approach that includes educating the public on proper child nutrition and improving the operations of Early Childhood Development centers (ECDs) at all levels.
According to the 2020 Rwanda Demographic Health Survey (RDHS2020) by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda and the Ministry of Health, stunting among children decreased from 38% in 2015 to 33% in 2020. Under the previous seven-year government plan (NST1), the goal was to reduce stunting to 29.9% by 2021 and to at least 19% by 2024.
The Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) indicates that stunting rates vary across regions, with Kigali at 14%, the Southern Province at 17.7%, the Eastern Province at 17.9%, the Northern Province at 23.3%, and the Western Province at 26.6%.
To achieve this target, the government will also focus on improving sanitation and hygiene efforts, ensuring other health-related objectives are met, and placing particular emphasis on the well-being of children and mothers. These initiatives will aim to reduce maternal mortality rates and deaths among children under five.
Health Advisors and Capacity Building
In the next five years, the number of “qualified” community health workers will be increased, and their capacity will be enhanced to further improve their performance. Rwanda currently has more than 58,000 community health workers, with each village having about four.
Rwanda’s health worker model is already recognized internationally, with countries visiting to learn from it as an effective, homegrown solution that delivers significant results.
Healthcare Services and Infrastructure
In the coming five years, healthcare services will be strengthened by increasing the number of health professionals and extending services to all Rwandans. There are plans to expand medical infrastructure, including building new health facilities and acquiring advanced medical equipment.
Efforts will also be made to promote medical tourism, with private sector investments playing a key role in developing specialized healthcare services. For instance, there will be an expansion of specialized medical services in designated areas like Kigali and other parts of the country.
The government will continue to encourage citizens to adopt healthier lifestyles, including proper nutrition, physical exercise, and avoiding behaviors that lead to diseases. Special attention will also be given to increasing services for mental health care.
Further, there will be expanded awareness campaigns to promote behaviors that boost immunity and prevent diseases, aiming to curb communicable and non-communicable diseases, substance abuse, alcoholism, and teenage pregnancies.
Insurance and Sanitation Improvements
The five-year plan also includes improvements in Rwanda’s health insurance systems, particularly community-based health insurance, and other health-related insurance services.
Sanitation infrastructure will be modernized, including the completion of major sanitation projects across Rwanda’s cities. In Kigali, this includes the completion of the Centralized Sewage System. Other districts will also benefit from improved waste management systems and the construction of modern landfills to enhance sanitation across the country.
