Lauren VanEnk, MPH

Institute for Reproductive Health

Georgetown University

Creating linkages between community volunteers & public sector in Rwanda

Healthcare Access in Rwanda

Rural

Population Health

providers

Urban

Population Health

Providers

Rural areas (over

80% of population)

served by 17% of

nurses

Kigali City (10% of

population) served

by 75% of doctors

and 60% of nurses

Rwanda’s Vision 2020

• Community

performance-based

financing (CPBF)

• Community-based

health insurance (CBHI)

• Nationwide network of

community health

workers (CHW),

3/village

4.6 total fertility rate

50% of women

2 yr or less between

birth and next

pregnancy

Caritas Rwanda

• Provides > 30% of health services

nationwide

• 200 community

volunteers

selected in 5

dioceses to

provide family

planning

Who are Caritas volunteers?

• Already involved in community activities

• Willingness to work voluntarily

• Able to read and write

• Demonstrated integrity and respect within

his/her community

• FAM user

Caritas Volunteers

• Small transport stipend

• Trained by Caritas,

partners

• Responsible for select

activities (HIV, OVC,

GBV, FP)

CHWs

• Incentivized through

performance-based

financing

• Trained by MOH,

partners

• Responsible for all

activities in national

strategy (MCH, FP,

nutrition, WASH, etc.)

Critical considerations for integration

Training & Service Delivery

Supervision System

Data Collection

Commodity Availability

Awareness Raising

Creating a Supportive

Environment

Navigating Barriers

Reporting service provision

Quality assurance

Responsibility sharing

Facilitating Factors

• Strong community health strategy

spearheaded by MOH

• National FP strategy values access to wide

range of methods and informed choice

• Existing norms in the health system re quality

reporting & data collection

• Caritas “presence”

Thank you

www.irh.org