Abstract
The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of Rwanda’s healthcare system, an understanding of the infrastructural challenges and barriers to accessing care for Rwandans, and areas where Rwanda has made progress in its healthcare system. We examined the literature published on Rwanda’s healthcare system and social determinants of health. We analyzed government data over the past fifteen years to understand the progress that the healthcare system has made. We developed criteria for selecting articles for our review. The rebuilding of Rwanda’s healthcare system was done through community-based healthcare, government insurance, and a robust public health system. The public health system was built on private-public partnerships, community-based health workers, and international partnerships, like Human Resources for Health. While Rwanda continues to improve its healthcare system, the urban-rural divide, human resource constraints, and challenges with system infrastructure are consistent issues which plague it. Altogether in the aftermath of one of the most horrific genocides in recorded history, Rwanda’s progress serves as a beacon of hope and model for capacity-building.
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