35 / 57
Cardiovascular Journal of Africa • Volume 31, No 4 August 2020
S33
AFRICA
Legislation banning the marketing of unhealthy foods to
minors and mandating clear and visible warnings on foods
that are high in calories, sugar or saturated fats are also
lacking. Policy interventions to reduce CVD risk through
promoting a healthy diet have not yet been introduced.
Priorities
Rwanda’s vision is to have the entire population protected
from premature morbidity and mortality related to NCD.
The aim is to improve access and quality of care to reach
their target along with improved general knowledge about
prevention of risk factors and early detection.
19
Other strategies to reduce NCD are developing an inter-
sectoral and decentralised policy, which includes prevention
and management of NCD, a national protocol for NCD, and
development of healthcare providers’ skills.
42
Although the health sector has accomplished significant
achievements, the following areas need to be addressed if the
quality of NCD service delivery is to be improved:
• integration and accessibility of NCD services at all levels
of the healthcare system and specialised services
• high NCD costs
• basic equipment and specialised infrastructure for NCD
• essential drugs and advanced NCD treatment
• accurate NCD data management.
17
This publication was reviewed by the PASCAR governing council and
approved by the president of the Rwanda Heart Foundation.
References
1. Mohamed AA, Fourie JM, Scholtz W,
et al.
Sudan Country Report: PASCAR
and WHF Cardiovascular Diseases Scorecard project.
Cardiovasc J Afr
2019;
30
: 305–310.
2. Dzudie A, Fourie JM, Scholtz W,
et al.
Cameroon Country Report: PASCAR
and WHF Cardiovascular Diseases Scorecard project.
Cardiovasc J Afr
2020;
31
(2): 103–110.
3. World Bank [Online] 2017.
https://data.worldbank.org/.4. World Health Organization. The Global Health Observatory (GHO). WHO
[Online] 2020.
https://www.who.int/data/gho/.5. CVD World Monitor [Online] 2012.
http://cvdworldmonitor.org/targets/premature-mortality-due-to-cvd/.
6. Mucumbitsi J, Bulwer B, Mutesa L,
et al.
Prevalence of rheumatic valvular
heart disease in Rwandan school children: echocardiographic evaluation
using the World Heart Federation criteria.
Cardiovasc J Afr
2017;
28
(5):
285–292.
7. Nahimana M-R, Nyandwi A, Muhimpundu MA,
et al.
A population-
based national estimate of the prevalence and risk factors associated with
hypertension in Rwanda: implications for prevention and control.
BMC
Public Health
2018;
18
: 2.
8. Ministry of Health. Rwanda Non-communicable Diseases Risk
Factors Report. [Online] 2015. Available:
http://www.who.int/chp/steps/Rwanda_2012_STEPS_Report.pdf. Rwanda_2012_STEPS_Report.pdf.
9. World Health Organization. The World Health Organization framework
convention on tobacco control (FCTC) Rwanda_2018_report.pdf. [Online]
2018. Available:
http://untobaccocontrol.org/impldb/.10. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). GHDx. Global Health
Data Exchange. [Online] 2017.
http://ghdx.healthdata.org/gbd-results-tool.11. International Diabetes Federation.
IDF Diabetes Atlas, 9th edn
[Online]
2019.
http://www.diabetesatlas.org/en/resources/.html.12. Ministry of Health.
National guidelines for management of Non
Communicable Diseases (NCDs)
. 2016 edn. Kigali, Rwanda: MOH, 2016.
13. Binagwaho A, Rusingiza E, Mucumbitsi J,
et al.
Uniting to address paediatric
heart disease in Africa: advocacy from Rwanda.
SA Heart
2013;
10
: 440–446.
14. Karthikeyan G, Zühlke L, Engel M,
et al.
Rationale and design of a Global
Rheumatic Heart Disease Registry: The REMEDY study.
Eur Heart J
2015;
36
: 1115–1122.
15. Mucumbitsi J,
et al.
Postoperative rheumatic heart disease follow-up: creating
a national registry and first results from Rwanda.
Ann Glob Health
2020; in
press.
16. World Health Organization. Noncommunicable diseases (NCD) country
profiles. [Online] 2018. Available:
https://www.who.int/nmh/countries/en/.17. Ministry of Health. Non communicable diseases policy. Kigali, Rwanda:
MOH, March 2015.
18. Maternal and Child Survival Program. United States Agency for International
Development (USAID). Updating Rwanda’s Health Management Information
System. [Online] August 2019.
https://www.mcsprogram.org/resource/updating-rwandas-health-management-information-system/.
19. Ministry of Health. Rwanda Non-Communicable Diseases National Strategic
Plan July 2014 – June 2019. Rwanda: MOH, 2014.
20. Mucumbitsi J. Rwanda | RHD Action. [Online] 2018. Available: http://
rhdaction.org/partner/other-countries/rwanda(15pp).
21. World Health Organization. WHO Country Cooperation Strategy 2014–2018
Rwanda. World Health Organization. Regional Office for Africa. [Online]
2015. Available:
http://www.who.int/iris/handle/10665/205893.22. Vital Strategies. In Rwanda and Around the World, Cities are Driving Action
Against the World’s #1 Preventable Killer: Tobacco. Vital Stories [Online]
June 17, 2019.
https://www.vitalstrategies.org/in-rwanda-and-around-the-world-cities-are-driving-action-against-the-worlds-1-preventable-killer-
tobacco/.
23. Management Sciences for Health/LIVESTRONG Foundation. A health
systems approach to non-communicable diseases in Uganda and Rwanda.
Study tour summary. [Online] February 14–23, 2014. Available: https://www.
msh.org/sites/msh.org/files/rev_post-trip_report_msh-lf_study_tour_2014.pdf.
24. Hutubessy R, Chisholm D, Tan-Torres Edejer T and WHO-CHOICE.
Generalized cost-effectiveness analysis for national-level priority-setting in
the health sector.
Cost Eff Resour Alloc
2003;
1
: 8.
25. United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). The Defeat-
NCD Partnership. Global Health Progress. [Online] 2018. https://
globalhealthprogress.org/collaboration/the-defeat-ncd-partnership/.26. The Republic of Rwanda. Law no 12/99 relating to the pharmaceutical
art. Generic drugs and pharmaceutical specialities. Section 2 Drug price
scheduling, Article: 50. Official Gazette of the Republic of Rwanda. 1999.
27. Bird RM, Wallace S. Taxing alcohol in Africa: reflections and updates.
International Studies Program Working Paper 10–31 October 2010.
28. Republic of Rwanda. Law governing the organisation, functioning and
management of health insurance schemes in Rwanda N° 48/2015 of
23/11/2015. Official Gazette no 04 of 25/01/2016. Kigali, Rwanda. 2016.
29. Ministry of Sports and Culture. Rwanda Sports Development Policy. Rwanda:
MoSC, October 2012.
30. Kabakambira JD, Bitwayiki RN, Mujawamariya G,
et al.
Kigali Car Free
Day: An innovative model in the fight against non-communicable disease
pandemics.
Rwanda Med J
2019;
76
(3): 1–5.
31. Tamir O, Cohen-Yogev T, Furman-Assaf S,
et al.
Taxation of sugar sweetened
beverages and unhealthy foods: a qualitative study of key opinion leaders’
views.
Isr J Health Policy Res
2018;
7
: 43.
32. Ministry of Health. Health Sector Policy. Kigali. [Online] January, 2015.
Available:
www.moh.gov.rw.33. NCD Alliance. Launch of the Rwanda Non Communicable Disease Alliance.
NCD Alliance: News. [Online] 29 September 2016. https://ncdalliance.
org/news-events/news/launch-of-the-rwanda-non-communicable-disease-
alliance.
34. United Nations. NCD Defeat-NCD Partnership. High Level Council (HLC).
[Online] 8 March 2020.
https://defeat-ncd.org/high-level-council-hlc/.35. United Nations (UN). Non-communicable diseases deemed development
challenge of ‘epidemic proportions’ in political declaration adopted during
landmark general assembly summit. New York: UN 66th General Assembly
Meeting, 19 September 2011.
36. Banyangiriki J, Phillips J. Prevalence of hypertension among working adults
in Rwanda.
Iranian J Publ Health
2013;
42
(8): 925–926.