Lessons Learned from Rwanda: Innovative Strategies for Prevention and Containment of COVID-19
- PMID: 33665145
- PMCID: PMC7908927
- DOI: 10.5334/aogh.3172
Lessons Learned from Rwanda: Innovative Strategies for Prevention and Containment of COVID-19
Abstract
Introduction: Rwanda has made significant advancements in medical and economic development over the last 20 years and has emerged as a leader in healthcare in the East African region. The COVID-19 pandemic, which reached Rwanda in March 2020, presented new and unique challenges for infectious disease control. The objective of this paper is to characterize Rwanda's domestic response to the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and highlight effective strategies so that other countries, including high and middle-income countries, can learn from its innovative initiatives.
Methods: Government publications describing Rwanda's healthcare capacity were first consulted to obtain the country's baseline context. Next, official government and healthcare system communications, including case counts, prevention and screening protocols, treatment facility practices, and behavioral guidelines for the public, were read thoroughly to understand the course of the pandemic in Rwanda and the specific measures in the response.
Results: As of 31 December 2020, Rwanda has recorded 8,383 cumulative COVID-19 cases, 6,542 recoveries, and 92 deaths since the first case on 14 March 2020. The Ministry of Health, Rwanda Biomedical Centre, and the Epidemic and Surveillance Response division have collaborated on preparative measures since the pandemic began in January 2020. The formation of a Joint Task Force in early March led to the Coronavirus National Preparedness and Response Plan, an extensive six-month plan that established a national incident management system and detailed four phases of a comprehensive national response. Notable strategies have included disseminating public information through drones, robots for screening and inpatient care, and official communications through social media platforms to combat misinformation and mobilize a cohesive response from the population.
Conclusion: Rwanda's government and healthcare system has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with innovative interventions to prevent and contain the virus. Importantly, the response has utilized adaptive and innovative technology and robust risk communication and community engagement to deliver an effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s).
Conflict of interest statement
The authors have no competing interests to declare.
Figures
Similar articles
-
An environmental scan of one health preparedness and response: the case of the Covid-19 pandemic in Rwanda.One Health Outlook. 2022 Jan 16;4(1):2. doi: 10.1186/s42522-021-00059-2. One Health Outlook. 2022. PMID: 35033197 Free PMC article.
-
Rwanda's Resiliency During the Coronavirus Disease Pandemic.Front Psychiatry. 2022 Jan 27;12:589526. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.589526. eCollection 2021. Front Psychiatry. 2022. PMID: 35153844 Free PMC article.
-
Contact Tracing and the COVID-19 Response in Africa: Best Practices, Key Challenges, and Lessons Learned from Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda.Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2021 Feb 11;104(4):1179-1187. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0033. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2021. PMID: 33571138 Free PMC article.
-
One hundred thirty-three observed COVID-19 deaths in 10 months: unpacking lower than predicted mortality in Rwanda.BMJ Glob Health. 2021 Feb;6(2):e004547. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004547. BMJ Glob Health. 2021. PMID: 33627363 Free PMC article. Review.
-
COVID-19 Pandemic: What Can the West Learn From the East?Int J Health Policy Manag. 2020 Oct 1;9(10):436-438. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2020.85. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2020. PMID: 32610736 Free PMC article. Review.
Cited by
-
The acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines in Rwanda: a cross-sectional study.BMC Public Health. 2024 Oct 18;24(1):2875. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-20417-9. BMC Public Health. 2024. PMID: 39425074 Free PMC article.
-
Feasibility, Acceptability, Satisfaction, and Challenges of an mHealth App (e-ASCov) for Community-Based COVID-19 Screening by Community Health Workers in Rwanda: Mixed Methods Study.JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2024 Oct 14;12:e50745. doi: 10.2196/50745. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2024. PMID: 39401131 Free PMC article.
-
Maintaining Delivery of Evidence-Based Interventions to Reduce Under-5 Mortality During COVID-19 in Rwanda: Lessons Learned through Implementation Research.Ann Glob Health. 2024 Jul 23;90(1):47. doi: 10.5334/aogh.4348. eCollection 2024. Ann Glob Health. 2024. PMID: 39070076 Free PMC article.
-
Role and effectiveness of telephone hotlines in outbreak response in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PLoS One. 2023 Nov 29;18(11):e0292085. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292085. eCollection 2023. PLoS One. 2023. PMID: 38019849 Free PMC article.
-
Knowledge and practices surrounding outbreaks and COVID-19 among community health workers in rural Rwanda: a cross-sectional mixed-methods study.Pan Afr Med J. 2023 May 15;45:35. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2023.45.35.37020. eCollection 2023. Pan Afr Med J. 2023. PMID: 37545611 Free PMC article.
References
-
- WHO. Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard. https://covid19.who.int/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwqrb7BRDlARIsACwGad790y-dCYsW94saP.... Accessed 12 January 2021.
-
- WHO. Africa/Health topics/Coronavirus (COVID-19). https://www.afro.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus-covid-19. Accessed 12 January 2021.
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Medical
Research Materials