In a country where access to safe abortion services has long been limited by stigma and a shortage of trained healthcare providers, the Strengthening the Network of Abortion Providers (SNAP) initiative, led by Rwanda Medical Doctors for Choice (MDFC), has emerged as a beacon of change. The SNAP Referral System, launched to address the critical gap in stigma-free, legal, and safe abortion services, has successfully trained 81 healthcare providers, established SNAP teams in 27 district hospitals, and introduced a pioneering legal consultation helpline. At a recent workshop, key stakeholders—including policymakers, healthcare professionals, and civil society representatives—gathered to share the initiative’s achievements, lessons learned, and future opportunities. The event celebrated the initiative’s success and facilitated discussions on enhancing collaboration, scaling up services, and improving policy frameworks to ensure continued access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health rights for all. According to Dr Clarisse Mutimucyeye, the Executive Director of Medical Doctors for Choice, the SNAP Referral System aims to support individuals in remote areas seeking safe abortion services. Each SNAP team is composed of a medical doctor, a midwife, and a clinical psychologist. She explained how the system operates, allowing team members to transfer patients between hospitals and providers efficiently. Mutimucyeye emphasised that this network of providers has a dedicated dashboard within the system, enabling them to connect, coordinate care, and transfer patients as needed. “When a healthcare provider on the SNAP team receives a patient from a catchment area where safe abortion services are unavailable, they transfer the patient to the nearest facility with a SNAP team. The patient is then referred directly to a provider known to offer safe abortion services at that facility, ensuring timely and appropriate care,” she noted. She also highlighted the system’s provision of legal information on safe abortion, designed to keep both clients and healthcare providers informed. This resource is especially important for patients in remote areas who need access to safe abortion services. “This referral system also supports access to legal information because there is a legal framework and policies surrounding safe abortion available on its homepage. Clients or doctors wishing to educate themselves about Rwanda’s safe abortion legal framework and provisions can easily find guidance there,” she added. Dr Diane Ishimwe, a medical doctor at Gatonde District Hospital, discussed challenges surrounding safe abortion services in Rwanda. She identified two major obstacles clients face when accessing these services in public hospitals: “One is healthcare providers unwilling to offer the services because they don’t understand why they should. The other is that some public and faith-based hospitals simply do not provide safe abortion services,” she said. The Director of Programs, Education, and Research at Medical Doctors for Choice, Richard Mbazumutima, emphasised that the SNAP Referral System is more than just a system. “The SNAP Refferal System is a lifeline. When we say, ‘No woman should die from unsafe abortion,’ we mean no exceptions because we believe that access to safe, timely, affordable, and respectful abortion care is a critical public health and human right,” he stated.
