Rwanda’s national health sector is focused on the equitable delivery of high-quality health services. The Government of Rwanda (GoR) recognizes that developing human resources in the health sector is a critical factor to the well-being of the population. Development of the health workforce has bee...n guided by the Human Resources for Health (HRH) Programme (2012-2019) and its successor, the National Strategy for Health Professions Development (NSHPD) (2020-2030). Rwanda has made significant progress in enhancing its skilled health workforce, with notable improvements in the health professional-to-population ratio over the past decade, attaining 13.4 doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, and dentists per 10 000 people in 2022. Despite such progress, health workforce levels remain below national and global recommendations.
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The African region reports the highest number of health emergencies of all the WHO regions every year: an average of
2-3 new events every week
The South African WHO Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) 2023–2027 focuses on four key strategic priorities based on the country’s health needs and disease epidemiology, while also considering the need for building resilient health systems for UHC and health security in the post pandemic period....
These include:
1. augment health systems strengthening reforms to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage.
2. address the quadruple burden of diseases and promote well-being across the life course in view of achieving global targets.
3. build health systems resilience and strengthen health emergency preparedness and response capacities.
4. enhance multisectoral collaboration and global partnerships for concerted action on health and its determinants.
In order to harness its expertise across its three levels, namely: the WHO Country Office (WCO), WHO Regional Office for Africa, and WHO headquarters, WHO will work closely and collaboratively with the Government of South Africa to implement the 2023–2027 strategic priorities.
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This set of malaria awareness posters, created by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), provides the general public in South Africa with clear visual messages about malaria prevention, symptoms and the importance of early treatment. Designed for community outreach, the posters enc...ourage key protective behaviours such as using bed nets, seeking prompt medical attention, and recognising the signs of infection.
Accessed on 20/06/2025.
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Accessed June 2025. This document outlines the Ministry of Health's management guidelines for malaria in pregnancy in Uganda. Pregnant women without malaria symptoms receive intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) using sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) as directly observed therapy (DOT),... starting from the second trimester with monthly doses until delivery, except for HIV-positive mothers on cotrimoxazole.
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Mozambique was the first country outside of the Sahel to successfully implement seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) on a large scale. This learning paper captures some of the lessons drawn from the implementation process.
Moçambique foi o primeiro país fora da região do Sahel a expandir com sucesso a quimioprevenção sazonal da malária (QSM). Neste documento de aprendizagem, descrevemos as lições decorrentes da aplicação em larga escala da QSM em Moçambique.
Target Malaria is an innovative project that aims to reduce the population of mosquitoes that transmit malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, thereby decreasing disease transmission. As part of its work to combat malaria, Target Malaria has started contained studies at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (U...VRI) in Uganda.
Accessed on 01/07/2025.
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The TACT training manuals and patient leaflet were developed as part of the ACT Consortium's initiative to improve malaria case management by promoting the correct use of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). The TACT ("Targeting ACTs") initiative aims to ensure that artemisinin-based combination therapies... (ACTs) are used appropriately, treating only confirmed malaria cases and guiding alternative care for other febrile illnesses.
Please download the manuals and leaflets from the website
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The Rectal Artesunate Tools & Training package has been developed to support the safe and effective use of artesunate rectal capsules (ARCs) as a pre-referral treatment for severe malaria, in line with WHO guidelines. Primarily aimed at community health workers operating in remote areas, the package... provides step-by-step visual and written guidance on ARC administration. The training resources were field-tested in Malawi and Senegal, and refined based on user feedback to ensure clarity, usability and cultural appropriateness. The toolkit includes user guides and job aids in English, French and Portuguese, and was created in collaboration with MMV, the WHO, Save the Children, the IFRC, MSF and the Malaria Consortium. These tools form part of broader efforts to integrate ARC into national malaria strategies and strengthen the capacity for an early response in underserved settings.
Accessed on 03/07/2025.
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Les manuels de formation TACT et la brochure destinée aux patients ont été élaborés dans le cadre de l'initiative du consortium ACT visant à améliorer la prise en charge du paludisme en encourageant l'utilisation correcte des tests de diagnostic rapide (TDR). L'initiative TACT (Targeting ACTs...) vise à garantir l'utilisation appropriée des combinaisons thérapeutiques à base d'artémisinine (ACT), en ne traitant que les cas de paludisme confirmés et en orientant les patients vers d'autres traitements pour les maladies fébriles non liées au paludisme. Les manuels proposent une formation interactive sur le lieu de travail pour aider les personnels de santé à passer d'un traitement présomptif à un diagnostic fondé sur des tests, conformément à la politique de l'OMS. La brochure d'accompagnement destinée aux patients, disponible en anglais et en swahili, s'appuie sur des récits illustrés pour expliquer l'utilité et le fonctionnement des TDR, répondre aux inquiétudes les plus courantes et encourager la confiance dans les résultats des tests. Ces documents, dont la clarté et la compréhension ont été testées au préalable, permettent d'opérer des changements durables dans la pratique clinique et la communication avec les patients au sein des établissements de soins primaires tanzaniens.
Accessed on 03/07/2025.
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Os manuais de formação TACT e o folheto para o paciente foram desenvolvidos no âmbito da iniciativa do ACT Consortium para melhorar a gestão dos casos de malária e promover a utilização correta dos testes de diagnóstico rápido (RDT). A iniciativa TACT ("Targeting ACTs") visa garantir a util...ização adequada das terapias combinadas à base de artemisinina (ACT), tratando apenas os casos de malária confirmados e orientando os cuidados alternativos para outras doenças febris. Os manuais oferecem formação interativa, baseada no local de trabalho, para auxiliar os profissionais de saúde na transição do tratamento presuntivo para um diagnóstico baseado em testes, em conformidade com a política da OMS. O folheto para o paciente, disponível em inglês e suáili, utiliza histórias ilustradas para explicar a importância e o objetivo dos TDR, abordar preocupações comuns e incentivar a confiança nos resultados dos testes. Após terem sido pré-testados quanto à sua clareza e compreensão, estes materiais apoiam mudanças sustentáveis na prática clínica e na comunicação com os doentes no âmbito dos cuidados de saúde primários na Tanzânia.
Accessed on 03/07/2025.
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The Malaria Atlas Project (MAP) is a global research initiative that provides high-resolution, evidence-based spatial data on malaria transmission, risk and impact. MAP combines field data, satellite imagery, and advanced geostatistical modelling to deliver open-access maps, datasets, and analytical... tools that support malaria control and elimination strategies worldwide. MAP empowers researchers, policymakers, and public health practitioners by providing them with accurate, up-to-date geographic insights to inform resource allocation and intervention planning.
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This brochure provides comprehensive information on type 2 diabetes, including its causes, symptoms, risk factors, how to prevent it, and how to manage it. It emphasises the importance of a healthy diet, regular exercise, and taking medication as prescribed to control blood sugar levels. It provides... practical advice on diet and lifestyle changes, as well as foot care, and highlights the importance of regular check-ups and blood glucose monitoring. The guide also warns of potential complications such as low and high blood sugar levels and long-term organ damage, emphasising the importance of early detection and consistent care. It encourages education and community support, such as joining the Zimbabwe Diabetes Association, to help individuals with diabetes live healthy lives.
Accessed on 17/07/2025.
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If not properly managed, diabetes can lead to a wide range of serious health complications. These include retinopathy (eye damage), nephropathy (kidney damage), neuropathy (nerve damage) and damage to blood vessels. This increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, foot ulcers, infections and amputa...tions. Early diagnosis and consistent management through medication, a healthy diet, regular exercise and routine check-ups are critical to preventing or delaying these complications. Improving outcomes and reducing the long-term impact of diabetes in low-resource settings requires patient education and community health support.
Accessed on 17/07/2025.
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Please find here the latest Update on MVD in Rwanda
This threat assessment addresses the implications of the ongoing Marburg virus disease (MVD) outbreak in
Rwanda for the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA). MVD is a severe disease in humans and,
although uncommon, it has the potential to cause epidemics with significant case fatality. ...All recorded MVD
outbreaks to date have originated in Africa. MVD is not an airborne disease and is considered not to be
contagious before symptoms appear. Direct contact with the blood and other body fluids of infected people
and animals or indirect contact with contaminated surfaces and materials like clothing, bedding and medical
equipment is required for transmission. The risk of infection is minimised when proper infection prevention and
control precautions are strictly followed. There is no approved treatment or vaccine for MVD; however, several
pharmaceuticals and candidate MVD vaccines are under investigation.
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Women, girls and marginalized groups who are largely dependent on natural resources for livelihoods are among the hardest hit by extreme weather patterns. These weather patterns limit their access to food, water, shelter, education and access to essential health services, including those that addres...s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), gender-based violence (GBV) and preventing harmful practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation.
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Over one third of all deaths in Kenya in 2019 were attributed to NCDs (Vos et al., 2020). The four major NCDs – CVDs, cancer,
diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases – accounted for 57% of these deaths. Furthermore, the direct and indirect economic
impact of NCDs is significant- Kenya is sai...d to have lost Ksh 230 billion or 3.4% of its gross domestic product in 2016 from rising
NCD-related medical costs and indirect productivity losses. At the household level, an estimated decrease of 28.6% in income
due to NCDs was reported in 2007 (Mwai & Muriithi, 2016; Mensah et al., 2020). Therefore, preventing and managing NCDs are
significant public health and economic priorities.
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