map | CNIS in Rwanda | surgery and obstetrics | information initiatives
- Population: 10.5 million
- Population growth: 2.8% per year
- Life expectancy at birth: 50.5 years
- Fertility rate: 5.2 children/woman
- Maternal mortality ratio: 1,300/100,000 live births
- 39% of births attended by a skilled attendant
- 5 physicians per 100,000 people
- Ranked 118th by the Economist’s Index of Democracy
- Ranked 167th on the UN Human Development Report
- Rwanda is continuing to rebuild after the 1994 genocide
CNIS in Rwanda
- CNIS began operations in Rwanda in 2008
- CNIS teaching centers are Butare and Kigali
- Courses offered in Rwanda:
Essential Surgical Skills (ESS)
Structured Operative Obstetrics (SOO)
Structured Hernia Repair
Safer Surgery and Obstetrics Program
With only a handful of local surgeons living in Rwanda, CNIS is focused on building long-term capacity in the local health system. CNIS conducts our Safer Surgery and Obstetrics Program in the capital Kigali and in Butare in southern Rwanda. Health practitioners are offered courses on both instructor and provider levels.
For several years, CNIS had planned to extend our assistance to another central African country—the opportunity came with Rwanda. The former head of surgery from Uganda, Professor Ignatius Kakande, took over the position of head of surgery in Butare and asked CNIS to introduce Essential Surgical Skills (ESS) at the medical school of the National University of Rwanda. Subsequently, Dr. Patrick Kyamanywa (former ESS director from Mbarara, Uganda) was recruited to Butare, creating a full leadership group.
With Dr. Kyamanywa’s assistance, Dr. Ronald Lett conducted the first ESS Instructors course in Butare in January 2008. Twelve instructors were certified and thirty-three residents participated in the ESS Providers course the following week. The introduction to the course was conducted in both French and English, while the working language for the skills sessions was French. The opportunity for CNIS to involve Canada’s two official languages to extend the reach of our teaching, exhibits how we achieve our mandate through adequate resources, innovation and dedication.
CNIS began teaching Structured Operative Obstetrics (SOO) in Kigali in 2009, addressing the widespread issue of maternal mortality. CNIS Obstetrical Associate, Dr. Lorraine Woolford from Oakville, ON has traveled to Rwanda on two occasions to facilitate SOO courses. She was assisted by Dr. Susan Obore from Uganda and the ESS Director in Rwanda, Dr. Patrick Kyamanywa. Obstetrics teaching models made by CNIS volunteers in Vancouver were introduced, with positive response. The obstetrics courses in Rwanda have been made possible by the support of the Rotary Club of White Rock, BC.
The Structured Hernia Repair course was held in December 2009, after being previously held by Dr. Patrick Kyamanywa. The course includes lectures and interactive teaching sessions to surgeons, which progress to surgical stimulation and then to clinical instruction with actual patients. Because of this structured approach, the learning experience of all participants is guaranteed, thus assuring consistent education and gender equity.
Rwanda ESS Director and Patron
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| Dr. Patrick Kyamanywa Director, Butare | Prof. Ignatias Kakande Patron, Butare |
African Information Initiatives
Rwanda is part of the University of Toronto’s electronic medical library system. CNIS provides our partners in the country logistics support to assure participation in the electronic library linkage.
