Strategies towards universal health coverage in Rwanda: lessons learned from extending coverage through mutual health organizations

摘要

Rwanda has undertaken several health sector reforms over the last two decades. One of particular interest is the health insurance reform and extension of coverage through mutual health organizations (MHOs). This strategy and its implementation is analysed in this article with a view to highlighting good practices or lessons learned, based on experience on the ground and on existing literature, that could be used in other countries. This report shows that it is possible to achieve health insurance coverage in countries such as Rwanda where the informal sector is as large as 90% of its total population. Ten good practices were identified as lessons learned and these are deemed to be key factors in moving towards universal health coverage in Rwanda and should be supported and reinforced in order to sustain the improvements in health care access.