Rwanda-successfully achieved universal healthcare

Rwanda is one in every of the few developing countries within the world that have with success achieved universal aid.With more than 90 per cent of Rwandans covered under the community-based health insurance scheme locally known as Mutuelle de Santé, Rwanda is one of the few developing countries in the world that have successfully achieved universal healthcare.

It is additionally attributable for the country’s lower maternal and infant deathrate rates.

The scheme has in recent years experienced challenges of low real uptake numbers, inflated numbers by local leaders and poor service delivery in health centres and district hospitals, encouraging the government to transfer management of the scheme to the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB) under the Rwandaise d’Assurance Maladie.

According to the Ministry of Health, management of the scheme which was commenced in 2000 but was functionalised in 2004 has improved since it was moved to RSSB in 2015 but some citizens say the quality of services given to subscribers is still lacking.

“It is not easy to assure a transfer from a district hospital if you need to go to a referral hospital,” says Sarafina Mukasarasi, a card holder, though she says services at the district hospitals have improved, regardless of the long string.

Ms Mukasarasi however says that appreciate the insurance scheme, which she pays about $3.36 (Rwf3,000) a year based on her household income, she does not pay a single coin when she falls ill or child birth. 

She delivered all her three children in a district hospital at zero cost.

It is also used as an example of reasonable universal healthcare schemes for poor countries.