At a glance
CDC works with the Rwanda Ministry of Health (MOH) and other partners to build effective public health collaboration and partnerships, which strengthen the country's core public health capabilities: data and surveillance, laboratory capacity, workforce and institutions, prevention and response, innovation and research, and policy, communications, and diplomacy.
Overview
CDC established an office in Rwanda in 2002. CDC Rwanda works closely with the Government of Rwanda and partner organizations to detect, prevent and control infectious disease outbreaks and build and strengthen the country's core public health capabilities. These include data and surveillance, laboratory capacity, workforce and institutions, prevention and response, innovation and research, and policy communications and diplomacy. Key programs include Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). CDC's work aims to protect the health of our nations and public health around the world.
Global health security
CDC's global health security work in Rwanda focuses on strengthening the country’s public health systems.
Workforce development
CDC supports training scientists through the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP). The program consists of three levels of training: frontline, intermediate, and advanced. Through FETP, CDC strengthens Rwanda’s workforce capacity to identify and stop outbreaks before they spread. FETP residents have been instrumental in supporting emergency management operations within Rwanda's provincial Public Health Emergency Operation Centers (PHEOCs). Their contributions include:
- Enhancing surveillance in healthcare facilities and communities
- Conducting risk assessments and screening at points of entry
- Managing case investigations
- Coordinating incident management efforts
Emergency preparedness and response
CDC supports the MOH with strategic planning, national outbreak preparedness, establishment of national and provincial Emergency Operations Centers, and emergency management trainings for MOH staff.
Key achievements
Over 412 residents have been trained through FETP. Trainees have led and supported responses to more than 80 outbreaks including mpox, Marburg virus disease, measles, cholera, malaria, COVID-19, epidemic typhus fever, and other diseases.
HIV and TB
As a key implementer of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), CDC plays an essential role in the fight against HIV and TB. With unmatched scientific and technical knowledge and long-standing relationships with ministries of health, CDC is uniquely positioned to advance HIV, TB, and other global health security activities that keep Americans safe at home and abroad.
Through PEPFAR, CDC provides critical support to Rwanda's public health infrastructure, improving the country's ability to prevent, detect, and respond to HIV, TB, and other infectious diseases and minimizing their risk from entering the U.S.
Malaria
Malaria is a leading cause of death and disease in many countries, and young children and pregnant women are among the most affected populations. CDC has collaborated with the Rwanda MOH's National Malaria Control Program, and other partners to support implementation of malaria prevention and control activities since 2007.
CDC-supported activities have included providing technical input to:
- Provide long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and antimalarial medication.
- Support indoor residual spraying in districts with high malaria incidence and prevalence.
- Prevent malaria in pregnancy.
- Enhance malaria diagnostics, case management, and disease surveillance.
- Monitor and evaluate malaria-related activities to inform decision-making.
Key achievements
- Cases of malaria in Rwanda decreased from 8 million cases in 2016 to 844,000 cases in 2022.
- Severe malaria cases decreased from 18,000 cases in 2016 to 1,740 cases in 2022.
- Deaths due to malaria decreased from 715 in 2016 to 74 in 2022.
Success story spotlight
Strategic Investments in HIV and TB Fortify Defense Against Marburg in Rwanda
On September 27, 2024, Rwanda declared its first outbreak of Marburg virus disease (Marburg), a highly infectious and often fatal illness closely related to Ebola. Even one person with Marburg is an alarming public health issue and poses a significant threat to health security, nationally and globally. Rwanda's outbreak quickly became one of the largest Marburg outbreaks ever recorded, with 66 confirmed cases—primarily among healthcare workers—and 15 deaths in the densely populated capital city, Kigali.
For over two decades, CDC, through PEPFAR, has supported Rwanda in strengthening local HIV and TB surveillance and laboratory systems and infrastructure. This support equipped Rwanda with the necessary tools to quickly detect and respond to the recent Marburg outbreak. Notably, 73% of PEPFAR-supported sites provided essential infrastructure, systems, and operational services for the outbreak response.
The rapid deployment of viral load testing hubs allowed for rapid detection of the Marburg virus, showcasing how sustained laboratory capacity can be effectively leveraged to address emerging health threats. The PEPFAR-supported Rwanda Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (RFELTP) played a pivotal role in the MVD outbreak response, deploying 182 RFELTP graduates and residents who had been trained by CDC staff to manage public health emergencies and contribute to surveillance and response efforts.
CDC staff continues to sustain surveillance efforts beyond HIV and TB. Staff remain in high-risk districts to identify areas with increased bat activity and mining operations that could serve as potential reservoirs for future outbreaks of high-consequence diseases. CDC staff are also working to ensure health facilities in these areas are positioned to detect and respond to potential cases, should they arise.
In today's connected world, diseases such as Marburg can spread globally, including to the U.S., in a matter of days. CDC's sustained systems, global field presence, and ongoing investments remain critical tools in preventing the unchecked spread of disease, ultimately protecting the health and safety of Americans.
