Stories

Making C-Sections Safer: Reducing Surgical Infections in Rwanda

May 09, 2019
{Photo credit: Todd Shapera}Photo credit: Todd Shapera

Cesarean section (C-section) delivery, which is usually initiated when complications arise during pregnancy or delivery, is one of the most frequent surgeries performed at health facilities worldwide.

Removing Financial Hardship to Increase Access to and Promote Preventive Health Services

May 09, 2019
{Photo credit: Todd Shapera}Photo credit: Todd Shapera

Raissa Iradukunda and her two children live near Remera-Rukoma District Hospital, about one hour from Kigali, Rwanda. The family is covered under Rwanda’s community-based health insurance (CBHI) program, known locally as Mutuelle de Santé. “We are farmers,” she explains, “but we can afford to pay the required 3,000 Rwf [USD 3.45] per year because we know that Mutuelle de Santé has enabled us to access health care even in situations where we did not have enough money for some services.”

Putting Patients First: Reducing Hospital Waiting Times in Rwanda

May 09, 2019
{Photo credit: Todd Shapera}Photo credit: Todd Shapera

When Ruhengeri Hospital in northern Rwanda upgraded from a district to a referral hospital in 2014, it began receiving cases from 15 health centers in its own district and five hospitals in surrounding districts. In 2015 alone, the hospital had nearly 6,000 monthly outpatient visits—about 25% above previous levels and among the highest in the country. While these numbers indicate how important the status upgrade was in relation to local health needs, the facility struggled to consistently meet those needs.

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