When Fred Rwigamba’s first son was born in 2019, nothing suggested that his family would spend years searching for answers about how to give him the best childhood experience. Born at King Faisal Hospital weighing 3.9 kilogrammes, the child appeared healthy and reached early milestones quickly. By nine months, he was already walking. But as he approached one and a half years, his parents became concerned. ALSO READ: Not a curse: the hidden struggle of autism in Rwanda “We would call him and he would not respond. He was also not developing speech,” Rwigamba told senators and stakeholders during a session autism held on Wednesday, June 17. The family sought medical help from several facilities. Some health workers suggested speech delay was normal, while others suspected hearing problems. Although the child reacted to sounds such as television noise, tests were recommended to assess his hearing abilities. The process proved difficult because he struggled to remain still during examinations. The family later sought further support outside Rwanda and he was diagnosed with autism. “At first, we did not understand what autism was. Over time, we learnt that it affects communication, learning and interaction,” Rwigamba said. Medical advice led the family to enrol their son in a specialised learning environment after mainstream schools struggled to support him. ALSO READ: Autism and humanity: Every life has value Rwigamba said the move transformed his child’s progress. Now aged seven, the boy can communicate, swim and has developed strong interests and abilities, especially in digital devices. But Rwigamba said many challenges remain for families. He pointed to delayed diagnosis, high costs of specialised support and social stigma. “I paid for different schools before understanding what the issue was. First speech therapy we did cost between Rwf20,000 and Rwf25,000 for a 45 minute session, which is difficult for many families,” he said. He added that some parents still face blame or assumptions linking autism to witchcraft. ALSO READ: Kamagaju's dedication to autism advocacy remains unwavering Senators and other officials acknowledged challenges faced by autistic children and stressed the need for measures to address them. Senator Adrie Umuhire, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Education, Technology and Youth, said an assessment conducted by the committee found limited awareness and insufficient support systems for people with autism. She said autism is still misunderstood by some communities, resulting in delayed diagnosis and stigma. “There are still gaps in national figures on the issues of autism. Parents also face challenges accessing specialised schools because many available options are privately owned,” she said. Jean Pierre Niyitegeka, Acting Executive Secretary of the National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), said more research is needed to understand the scale of autism and guide interventions. Speaking during the session, Darius Gishoma, the Division Manager of Mental Health at Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), said autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects communication, behaviour and social interaction. He said global estimates indicate that around one per cent of the global population may be on the autism spectrum. According to Gishoma, signs often become noticeable in early childhood and may include delayed communication, repetitive behaviour, sensitivity to certain sounds and very strong interest in specific activities. He said genetics is considered one of the main contributing factors, although other biological and environmental factors are also studied. RBC data presented during the session showed increasing demand for autism-related services. In 2024, health facilities received about 800 people seeking autism and related services, including around 400 cases handled at district hospitals. In 2025, the number rose to more than 1,000, with about 550 cases recorded at district hospitals. Officials said the figures reflect growing awareness and increased demand for diagnosis and support. The Minister of Education Joseph Nsengimana said the government is strengthening early identification and support for children with autism in schools. He said teachers are being trained to recognise possible signs of autism and guide referrals to health services where necessary. According to the minister, schools participating in teacher training and continuous professional development programmes now have trained personnel able to support early detection of autism symptoms. He noted that autistic children have different support needs, with some able to study in mainstream schools while others require specialised learning environments. To strengthen access, Nsengimana said the government plans to establish centres of excellence for special needs education across the country, with one planned in each province. “We must ensure that all children access education according to their needs,” Nsengimana said. The discussions also highlighted the need for stronger coordination across sectors, more research, expanded specialised services and efforts to reduce stigma faced by children with autism and their families.
