Figures from the recent Rwanda Biomedical Centre’s (RBC) Non-communicable Diseases, NCDs Steps Survey (2013-2021) shows that NCDs are on the rise in Rwanda.

Non-communicable diseases are non-infectious diseases. It means they cannot be passed or contracted from one person to another. They are often chronic diseases that result from a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors.

They are also referred to as Lifestyle diseases due to the fact that they are fuelled by the individual’s unhealthy habits.

Major NCDs are cardiovascular (heart) diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases such as Asthma. According to the World Health Organisation, WHO, these are collectively responsible for almost 70% of all deaths worldwide.

WHO’s 2016 estimates show that NCDs account for 58 percent of total annual mortality in Rwanda. This is affirmed by the RBC’s study, which shows that the trend continues.

According to Dr Evariste Ntaganda, who is in charge of the Cardiovascular disease program at RBC, the rise of NCDs has been mainly driven by four major risk factors; tobacco use, physical inactivity, the excessive use of alcohol and unhealthy diets.

The 2021 survey by the National Institute of Statistic Rwanda indicates that the prevalence of tobacco use (smoking) is at seven percent in the country. It reduced from 12.9 percent in 2013, but Dr Ntaganda points out that this is still significantly high. On the other hand, the prevalence of alcohol consumption increased to 48.1 percent from 41.3 percent in 2013, according to the RBC study.

Overweight, which has increased to 18.6% from 16.2% in 2013, and obesity, which has increased to 4.3 percent from 2.8 percent in 2013, are other factors linked to physical inactivity and unhealthy diets. The prevalence of hypertension has also increased, from 15.9% in 2013 to 16.8% in 2021.

Almost all NCDs, according to Dr Ntaganda, can be prevented by addressing risk factors. This includes eating healthy diets, exercising regularly, avoiding smoking and passive smoking, achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, and keeping blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels under control.

Frequent screening is also advised for early detection. He said that it is useful especially in the case of genetic NCDs. "It helps in early curbing and treatment of diseases,” he said.

He emphasised the use of second re-prevention, regular and efficient treatment/screening, for those who are already sick, in order to prevent other diseases such as stroke, heart attack, kidney failure among others, which are all detrimental.

In response to the rise, the government of Rwanda also established three areas of intervention. They include prevention through conducting awareness, care and treatment, monitoring and evaluation of the patients.

In Rwanda, NCDs care and treatment services can be accessed at all the 500 health centres and district hospitals throughout the country. RBC is in charge of the program that trains and deploys nurses and doctors respectively to the hospitals.