A new plan by the Ministry of Health to bring significant changes to the healthcare field is a step in the right direction towards fixing challenges that the sector currently faces. Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, the Minister of Health, presented to the parliament a new strategy that is intended to increase the number of doctors, nurses, midwives, healthcare workers, as well as specialists such as radiologists. As part of the plan, the government aims to increase the number of active licensed doctors from 18 per 100,000 people in 2024 to 32 per 100,000 people by 2029. The number of active licensed nurses is projected to increase from 97.4 per 100,000 people in 2024 to 171 per 100,000 people by 2029. Similarly, the number of active licensed midwives is expected to rise from 58.1 per 100,000 people in 2024 to 185 per 100,000 people by 2029. Rwanda aims to significantly reduce maternal mortality rates, which currently stand at 105 per 100,000 live births, to 60 by 2029. Additionally, the country plans to lower the neonatal mortality rate from 11 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024 to 8 per 1,000 live births by 2029. The plan is to also reduce death rates of children under five years, lower teenage pregnancy, reduce prevalence of stunting, as well invest more in infrastructure development such as acquiring more ambulances, expanding healthcare facilities as well as their capacities. While this is an ambitious plan, it will require more than a bold vision. This will mean investing in training more healthcare workers, specifically doctors, nurses, and specialists. But training is not enough. Rwanda currently faces a shortage of doctors and specialists. Moreover, many of those trained locally often seek opportunities abroad, leading to a low retention rate within the country. Granted! The government may have many competing priorities, but retaining locally-trained healthcare workers or attracting those trained abroad will mean revising the current compensation scheme. The government must also think carefully about how to attract more private investors to invest in the healthcare sector, currently considered risky.
