Medical emergencies are inevitabilities, even in the most developed countries. The Government of Rwanda however realizes the underdeveloped nature of its emergency system which contributes in no small measure to mortality rates in the country. The clinical guidelines recognizes the poor way healthcare handlers manage emergency situations. The guidelines contained in this document is therefore relevant to incoming and existing healthcare practitioners in Rwanda. It points out the basic concepts required to effectively handle and manage emergency medical situations in Rwanda.

This strategic plan on community health builds on the national community health policy of 2009 and is aligned with other important policies including; the EDPRS and the HSSP III. It attempts to learn from the challenges faced and the experiences garnered by previous interventions that were driven towards addressing the limited access to primary health care (PHC) in Rwanda. The government recognizes the multifaceted nature of the causes of limited access to PHC. It calls for intensified efforts to ensure deeper delivery of the comprehensive community health packages which include among others; Community Case Management (CCM), Mother and New Health program, Family Planning, Environmental Health and Hygiene, and the Community Based Nutrition Program. The National Community Health Strategic Plan ultimately aims to reduce maternal and child mortality through the comprehensive community health packages.

The need to ensure the protection of health sector information and communication is enshrined in the ICT policy. This policy aims to educate all stakeholders in the health sector on the need to ensure the process of collection, processing, and storage of health sector data are done securely. Other security issues highlighted include confidentiality, integrity, availability, and non-repudiation of data.

The government of Rwanda through the Ministry of Health has identified family planning as one of its national priorities for the health sector. This is motivated by the need to achieve drastic poverty reduction and improved socioeconomic conditions. This plan recognizes the significant improvement that has been recorded in the usage of modern contraceptives by the citizenry. However, it also calls for renewed effort to ensure the EDPRS target of 70% contraceptive usage is attained by 2016. This strategic plan therefore seeks to deepen commitment levels to the importance of family planning. It places much importance on training and re-training the relevant stakeholders that will drive this goal.

The importance of building government policies, strategies, guidelines, and plans on detailed and well carried out research has been emphasized on by the government of Rwanda. Consequently, the ministry of health has developed this guideline to serve as a tool for researchers aiming to carry out health research in Rwanda. These guidelines seek to ensure a smooth process for researchers by clarifying the process, expectations, and benefits of doing research in Rwanda.

This policy highlights government’s resolve to coordinate all efforts and activities in the health sector. It enshrines government goals and targets for the sector as contained in the vision 2020, the EDPRS and the HSSP. It recognizes the need to change priority areas in line with change in epidemiologic and socio-economic conditions of Rwandans. “It sets the health sector’s objectives, identifies the priority health interventions for meeting these objectives, outlines the role of each level in the health system, and provides guidelines for improved planning and evaluation of activities in the health sector.” It is the first point of call for all stakeholders in the health sector.

The guidelines contained in this document serve as a guide for the safe and efficient disposal and decommission of obsolete and unserviceable health equipment. It underlines the need for new health equipment as changes evolve. It also emphasizes the need to ensure disposal and decommissioning is done safely (both to humans and the environment), economically, and efficiently, in line with best practices.

This national strategy for eye health aligns with the health sector policy and the HSSP IV. These policies strive to ensure the citizens of the country have equitable access to quality health services. The strategic plan work towards addressing issues relating to avoidable blindness and visual impairment.

This plan details strategies directed towards improving healthcare as it relates to ear and hearing. It attests to the challenges associated with awareness, detection, and management of ear and hearing issues. It’s objective is to improve healthcare wih respect to access, affordability, quality and efficiency towards achieving universal health coverage

The national health research agenda seeks to coordinate researchers in the health sector. It acknowledges already existing research efforts in the country and the uncoordinated way in which they have been conducted. It also perceives the need to ensure government policies, strategies, plans and efforts are research driven. It aims to ensure relevant and strategic areas are prioritised and the whole research efforts in the health sector are purposefully planned and coordinated.

The NFNP strives to consolidate on the achievements recorded in the areas of food security and Nutrition in the country. It serves as an update on the National Nutrition Policy of 2007. The NFNP highlights and aims to address the gaps and changes in prevailing conditions since 2007. It understands the linkage and interrelation that exists between food security and nutrition and the need to significantly improve both.

This document identifies the important role played by the community health service in the overall development of the country’s health sector. It notes the challenges that need attention to ensure improved efficiency in discharging the sector’s mandate. This policy has been designed to complement other key government policies like the EDPRS, the vision 2020, and international goals like the MDGs.

Concerned organizations have risen over the years to offer eye health screening to school children. These organizations have been solely in charge of determining procedures, equipment, workers, as well as fees charged for the activities. However, the government is concerned about the uncoordinated way in which these screenings are carried out. The guidelines contained in this document therefore push towards addressing these concerns and coordinating the activities of eye health screening in Rwandan schools.

The third HSSP is a continuation of HSSP I and HSSP II. It hopes to consolidate on the achievements of both plans in line with government’s resolve to tackle the health challenges of the population. It addresses critical areas like maternal health and non-communicable diseases. It holistically covers every aspect of the health sector from prevention, treatment, and control of diseases, to general strengthening of the health sector

This strategic plan pursues facilitating the implementation of the fourth Health sector strategic plan, HSSP IV. It focuses on pooling resources, sourcing for finance, and purchasing of health services. It basically strives to ensure the goals and targets of the HSSP IV in conjunction with other crucial policies are attained by the set date.

This procedural manual represents the effort of the government of Rwanda to holistically regulate the activities of the health sector. It works towards coordinating both the financial and technical aspect of the delivery of health sector activities. It covers all policies and strategies that align with the set goals of the health sector including vision 2020, the EDPRS, the HSSP, among others.

This policy seeks to improve the provision and access to safe and quality medications for the Rwandan people.

This policy serves as a source of guidance and direction to healthcare professionals. Its ultimate goal is to facilitate effective management of the intricacies involving children emergencies at secondary and tertiary health levels.

This novel plan charts the 6 year directional course for safe and quality delivery of surgical, obstetrics and anesthesia care for Rwandans. It assesses the prevailing situation, highlights the plans for the future, outlines procedures and processes, targets, as well as key performance indicators to enable effective monitoring and evaluation as the plan unfolds. It ultimately intends to complement other national and international health sector policies in ensuring universal health coverage.

A series of guidelines on selected high-risk clinical conditions in some specialty areas. It is targeted at professional health-care managers to serve as a resource for delivering standardized health care at all levels across the country.