Healing the world: Rwanda

By Selena Ross 

WASHINGTON — Here’s a fact-based snapshot of Rwanda’s health challenges and the ways that U.S. President Barack Obama’s Global Health Initiative plans to address these issues.

RWANDA

Total GHI spending:
FY 2009: $166 million
FY 2010: $162 million

Total population: 11 million
GDP per capita: $1,100

Proportion of children who die before their fifth birthday: 1 in 9
Maternal mortality per 100,000 live births: 750

Major health concerns in the country:
1) Infant, child and maternal mortality are all extremely high
2) A high risk and burden of malaria throughout the whole population

GHI focus areas: This is still to be determined; the US government has not yet released its country strategy documents for Rwanda.

(Sources: CIA; GHI country strategy documents; Kaiser Family Foundation; UN; www.foreignassistance.gov)