Part Of Rwanda Research Articles

Determinants of comprehensive knowledge on mother-to-child transmission of HIV and its prevention among childbearing women in Rwanda: insights from the 2020 Rwandan Demographic and Health Survey

BackgroundMaternal knowledge on mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) and its prevention has been identified to enhance maternal testing and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimen. Examining prevalence and associated factors on MTCT and its prevention among women provides empirical evidence for design and implementation of health strategies aimed at increasing MTCT knowledge and its elimination. This study therefore examined women’s comprehensive knowledge and associated factors on MTCT and its prevention among childbearing women in Rwanda.MethodsAnalysis was conducted on a weighted sample of 14,634 women from the 2020 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS). Dataset cleaning and missing value analysis was conducted. Chi square, bivariate and multivariable regression was then conducted in complex samples in SPSS. Alpha level set at p < 0.05 and at 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI). All analysis were adjusted for unequal probability sampling using survey weights. Bivariate and multivariable results were reported with crude and adjusted odds ratios.ResultsThe mean age was 29.2 years, SD-9.1. Prevalence of HIV testing and comprehensive knowledge on MTCT and its prevention among women in Rwanda was 79.6% and 65.1% respectively. Findings from this study showed that married women have higher odds (aOR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.04–1.35) of comprehensive knowledge on MTCT and its prevention compared to those unmarried. Women who were living in southern (aOR = 1.23, 95%CI = 1.02–1.48) and eastern (aOR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.13–1.66) parts of Rwanda were more likely to have adequate knowledge on MTCT of HIV and its prevention than those in Kigali. Also, women who received post-test counselling (aOR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.01–2.11) have increased knowledge on MTCT than those who did not. Women with access to radio (aOR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.06–1.32) and television (aOR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.07–1.45) at least once a week were more likely to have adequate knowledge on MTCT and its prevention compared to those who do not in Rwanda.ConclusionThere is inadequate knowledge on MTCT and its elimination among women of reproductive age in Rwanda. Strategies to enhance knowledge on MTCT and its prevention among childbearing women should be adopted through rigorous educational sensitization campaigns using local media such as radio and television. Health services that focus on prevention of MTCT must emphasize post-test counselling.

Quality of oxytocin and misoprostol in health facilities of Rwanda.

Sustainable Development Goal 3.1 calls for a reduction of the maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030. The most important cause of maternal mortality is post-partum haemorrhage (PPH). Oxytocin injections and misoprostol tablets are medicines of first choice for the management of PPH in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Unfortunately, both substances are chemically unstable, and previous studies have revealed serious quality problems of these medicines in LMICs. The present study is the first report on their quality in Rwanda. From 40 randomly selected health facilities (hospitals, health centers, retail pharmacies and private clinics) in different parts of Rwanda, as well as from six wholesalers and government stores, oxytocin injections and misoprostol tablets were collected. Oxytocin storage temperatures in the health facilities were monitored for six months using temperature data loggers, and found to correctly follow the storage requirements stated by the manufacturers (2–8°C, or room temperature) with few minor deviations. Oxytocin injections (57 samples, representing seven batches of four brands) were tested for their oxytocin content and pH value according to the United States Pharmacopeia. Twenty-four samples from three European manufacturers passed all tests. However, all nine samples of one batch of a Chinese manufacturer showed an excessive content of oxytocin (range 117.2–121.5% of the declared amount). Another batch of the same manufacturer showed extreme variations of the concentration of the preservative benzyl alcohol. Misoprostol tablets (25 samples, representing ten batches of six brands) were tested for content and dissolution according to the International Pharmacopoeia. Fifteen samples passed, but all 10 samples of two brands from India failed with extreme deviations, containing only 42.5–48.7% of the stated amount of misoprostol. In conclusion, oxytocin quality in Rwanda was better than reported from other African countries. However, two extremely substandard brands of misoprostol tablets were found. The Rwandan authorities reacted quickly and efficiently, and recalled these substandard medicines from the market. For oxytocin and misoprostol, with their well-known problems of quality and stability, procurement should possibly be restricted to medicines which are WHO-prequalified or which have been manufactured in countries with stringent regulatory authorities.

Analysis of Environmental Impacts of Solar Energy Technologies in Rwanda: GigaWatt

Nowadays Rwanda's target is to transit from a developing country to a middle-income country. One of the objectives to achieve this is the government encouraging private companies and individuals to invest in solar energy use either solar home system, mini-grid or grid-connected technology. The main objective of the study was to investigate the environmental impact assessment of solar energy technologies in Rwanda and its related plant performances. The assessment of the Rwamagana solar power plant (GigaWatt) was defined as a case study. In this study, the data and information were collected from the rural community of Rwamagana district, power plant and Rwanda energy group (REG). The Rwanda national electrification framework shows that solar energy technology is the third after hydropower, thermal and peat technologies. Solar PV modules used to produce electricity of 8.5 MW to the national grid while more than 14,970 solar home systems are installed in different parts of Rwanda. As shown in the presented results, there were no global warming emissions associated with generating electricity from solar energy technologies while Rwamagana solar power plant used larger utility-scale solar photovoltaic panels to raise the land degradation and habitat loss. The paper is concluded focusing on the ways to avoid negative and enhance the positive impacts of solar energy technology in the selected power plant.

Corporate Governance in Rwanda: The Role of the External Auditor

Corporate governance is receiving more and more attention in Rwanda, and new legislation has been enacted to improve the governance of companies as part of Rwanda’s Vision 2020. This was a conceptual study of the role of auditors in corporate governance in Rwanda, drawing especially on recent legislation, and other important literature on the subject in general. The auditor’s contribution to corporate governance in Rwanda is to foster transparency and accountability in companies by assessing a company’s financial information, disclosing whether or not the information gives a true and fair view of the company’s financial health. This role is more pronounced where there is an information gap between the company’s shareholders or stakeholders and the company’s management. Small companies in Rwanda are exempt from the audit requirement but the auditor’s role is still important to small companies because it promotes a culture of accountability, and closes the skills gap where the shareholders are unable to make sense of the company’s financial statements. The auditor’s role also extends to providing assurance to creditors, depositors of banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions, as well as ensuring that there is transparency and accountability in spending public funds. The external auditor also reinforces the role of other players in the corporate governance matrix like journalists, regulators and investment banks. This research shall help policy makers to fortify and review existing provisions regulating auditors and accountants in Rwanda.

Manipulating the Rural Landscape: Villagisation and Income Generation in Rwanda

The aim of this paper is to investigate whether households that are relocated to government-built village settlements, as part of Rwanda's Villagisation programme (‘Imidugudu’), diversify into non-farm income-generating activities more than other rural households in Rwanda, and if so, to what extent the variation can be explained by differences in micro-level asset and meso-level access factors. Despite the programme objective to stimulate non-farm activity, the results of empirical estimations drawing on household and community-level data suggest that Imidugudu households differ surprisingly little from other rural households in terms of diversification into non-farm income sources. Moreover, the slightly greater participation in non-farm income-generating activities observed among the Imidugudu households can be attributed to regional variation and household characteristics mattering for selection into the programme, rather than to asset endowments and improved service access. The results, thus, provide very little indication that the programme has achieved its objective of stimulating diversification into non-farm income-generating activities. Rather, they highlight the need to carefully monitor the earning opportunities of resettled households that have been disrupted from their familiar productive environment. Copyright 2013 , Oxford University Press.

Legacy of Bitterness: Insurgency in North West Rwanda

The insurgency in North West Rwanda is a good example of a small scale conflict that provides a first step into the more complex world of regional instability in central Africa. Following the genocide of 1994, genocidaires and ex-military personnel fled to what was then Zaire and established a network of anti-Tutsi bases. Linking up with local groups in Eastern Zaire, these insurgents, usually known as ‘infiltrators’ have carried out a low-intensity but consistent insurgency campaign in Rwanda. 1. To avoid numerous references to the ‘former Zaire’, the term Zaire is used before May 1997. The constant barrage of propaganda aimed at the local population, a technique pioneered during the 1994 genocide, has led to a general, manufactured support for the insurgency. In particular, those people returning from Zaire have been fed a constant diet of anti-Tutsi and Rwandese Patriotic Army (RPA) propaganda, making it easier to act against these groups. Even within the local government and other official bodies, there are widespread Hutu sympathies that have led to additional aid reaching the insurgents. The particular strain of ethnic violence has led to an insurgency in which civilian villages are as likely to be attacked as RPA military installations. More surprising, given the nature of the insurgency, Hutus themselves have been targets. Initially, moderate Hutus were singled out as examples, but increasingly indiscriminate killings have been aiming to force all Hutus to take sides. The insurgents have deliberately polarised large parts of Rwanda and this has profound implications for conflict resolution. In particular, supplementing the military campaign with political social campaigns, at least partly to combat the mythology of grievance among the Hutus, and tackling the conflict as part of a supra-national conflict that goes beyond ‘national’ borders.

Composition of the essential oils of Ocimum urticifolium (Lamiaceae) chemotypes grown in Rwanda

Leaves and flowers of 48 specimen of Ocimum urticifolium (synonym: O. suave), Lamiaceae, were collected in different parts of Rwanda. The volatile components of each specimen were isolated by hydrodistillation under standardized conditions, and the 48 essential oils analysed by thin-layer chromatography. This preliminary analysis showed six different oil compositions. Thereafter, six oil samples were fractionated by liquid—solid chromatography. The fractions thus obtained, and all other oil samples were then analyzed by capillary gas chromatography. In this way 46 compounds were identified in the various oil samples. Eight components, which amounted to more than 10% in at least one oil sample, were used to characterize the oils. Twelve oil types were distinguished, three of which were dominated by one component only: eugenol, methyleugenol and transmethylisoeugenol respectively. The other types were more complex. In some parts of Rwanda almost one oil type seemed to occur, whereas in other areas a more heterogeneous collection of types was found. Eugenol was quantitatively most important in 31 of the 48 oil samples, in 22 of which this component amounted to more than 50%.