HEALTH INSURANCE FOR ALL IN 2009

The Ministry of Health has announced that a significant 91 percent of the Rwandan population were subscribers to different health insurance schemes by the end of 2008. A very good development and almost not heard of in Sub-Saharan Africa! With more efforts, the figure will undoubtedly go up to 100 percent and Rwanda will again be in the world headlines. Considering, the rate at which Mutuelle de Sante, the communal health insurance scheme has been growing; with the objective of having all Rwandans insured by the end of this year is achievable. For a scheme that started in 2003 with only 7 percent subscription countrywide, the percentage has grown to a whooping 91 percent within just five years. This has in turn significantly reduced the number of mothers dying during labour from their villages because they could not afford hospital charges and of course, steadily making the malaria epidemic that has proven to be a major problem to developing countries history.