From Mapping to Elimination: A Comprehensive Overview of Rwanda's Schistosomiasis Program.

Objectives: Schistosomiasis (SCH) remains a public health challenge in Rwanda despite ongoing interventions. This paper provides an overview of Rwanda's SCH journey, highlighting progress made through mass drug administration (MDA), diagnostic advancements, and strategic partnerships with key stakeholders.

Methods: Since 2014, the point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) test has been introduced alongside Kato-Katz (KK), improving mapping accuracy and detecting low-intensity infections.

Comprehensive management of actinomycetoma in a young male: A case report from Somalia.

Mycetoma is a neglected tropical disease that predominantly affects individuals in low socioeconomic strata, primarily in tropical and subtropical regions. This case report describes a 20-year-old male student from Bahdo City, Somalia, who presented with a persistent cervical mass following a history of trauma. The patient exhibited vital signs within normal limits, and imaging studies, including ultrasound and computed tomography, revealed well-defined cystic masses.

Rift Valley Fever in Rwanda Is Urging for Enhancing Global Health Security Through Multisectoral One Health Strategy.

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a devastating zoonotic mosquito-borne viral hemorrhagic fever disease that threats human and animal health and biodiversity in Africa, including in Rwanda. RVF is increasingly outbreaking in Africa, leading to devastating impacts on health, socioeconomic stability and growth, and food insecurity in the region, particularly among livestock-dependent communi-ties. This systematic review synthesizes existing evidence on RVF's epidemiology, transmission dynamics, and the prevention and control measures implemented in Rwanda.

Natural language processing to evaluate texting conversations between patients and healthcare providers during COVID-19 Home-Based Care in Rwanda at scale.

Community isolation of patients with communicable infectious diseases limits spread of pathogens but our understanding of isolated patients' needs and challenges is incomplete. Rwanda deployed a digital health service nationally to assist public health clinicians to remotely monitor and support SARS-CoV-2 cases via their mobile phones using daily interactive short message service (SMS) check-ins. We aimed to assess the texting patterns and communicated topics to better understand patient experiences.

Undetectable = Untransmittable (U = U): insights from people living with HIV attending health facilities in Rwanda.

Background: Rwanda has made remarkable progress in scaling up HIV testing, treatment, and healthcare services. Recent data show that 95% of people living with HIV (PLWH) were aware of their status, 97.5% of them are on antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 98% of those who are on treatment have achieved viral suppression.

Evidence-Based Guidance for One Health Preparedness, Prevention, and Response Strategies to Marburg Virus Disease Outbreaks.

Objectives: Marburg virus disease (MVD) is on the WHO list for pandemic-prone pathogens. The current outbreak in Rwanda provides an opportunity to map outbreaks and generate information to inform policymaking, resource mobilization, and guide the implementation of cost-effective response strategies.

Methods: We synthesized available information about MVD to build holistic, up-to-date evidence to inform policymakers, public health leaders, and healthcare and public health services providers in their development and implementation of cost-effective preparedness, prevention, and control measures.

Undetected circulation of major arboviruses in West Sudan: urging for institutionalizing multisectoral one health strategy for the preparedness, prevention, and control of zoonotic arboviral diseases.

Objectives: Arboviruses pose a significant global health challenge. This study investigated the seroprevalence of major human arboviral infections, including yellow fever (YFV), dengue (DENV), Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), Rift Valley fever (RVF), West Nile virus (WNV), and chikungunya (CHIK), in Darfur region from September to December 2018. ELISA-IgM was used to detect antibodies.

Expanding HIV Self-Test Kits via Community Pharmacies in Rwanda Has Improved Availability, but Affordability Remains an Issue.

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends HIV self-testing (HIVST) to complement the existing HIV testing services. Pursuant to this, Rwanda approved the over-the-counter sale of Oral Quick HIV self-tests in community pharmacies, facilitating home testing and addressing accessibility issues. However, the availability and affordability of HIVSTs in these settings remains unexplored.

Indoor residual spraying uptake and its effect on malaria morbidity in Ngoma district, Eastern province of Rwanda, 2018-2021.

Background: Indoor residual spraying (IRS) has been implemented in Rwanda in districts with high malaria transmission, including Ngoma District. The first IRS campaign (IRS-1) was conducted in March 2019, ahead of the peak malaria season, followed by a second campaign (IRS-2) in August 2020, targeting 89,331 structures. This study assessed factors influencing IRS uptake and evaluated the impact of IRS interventions on malaria morbidity in Ngoma District, Eastern Province, Rwanda.

Genomic and transmission dynamics of the 2024 Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda.

The ongoing outbreak of Marburg virus disease in Rwanda marks the third largest historically, although it has shown the lowest fatality rate. Genomic analysis of samples from 18 cases identified a lineage with limited internal diversity, closely related to a 2014 Ugandan case. Our findings suggest that the Rwandan lineage diverged decades ago from a common ancestor shared with diversity sampled from bats in Uganda.

Predicting adverse pregnancy outcome in Rwanda using machine learning techniques.

Background: Adverse pregnancy outcomes pose significant risk to maternal and neonatal health, contributing to morbidity, mortality, and long-term developmental challenges. This study aimed to predict these outcomes in Rwanda using supervised machine learning algorithms.

Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized data from the Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS, 2019-2020) involving 14,634 women.

Prescription Practices and Usage of Antimicrobials in a Tertiary Teaching Hospital in Rwanda: A Call for Antimicrobial Stewardship.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global problem that results in high morbidity and mortality, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Inappropriate use of antimicrobials is a major driver of AMR. This study aimed to evaluate the rate and quality of antimicrobial prescription and use at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), a tertiary-referral teaching hospital.

Anopheles gambiae Re-Emergence and Resurgent Malaria Transmission in Eastern Rwanda, 2010-2020.

Rwanda achieved unprecedented malaria control gains from 2000 to 2010, but cases increased 20-fold between 2011 and 2017. Vector control challenges and environmental changes were noted as potential explanations, but no studies have investigated causes of the resurgence or identified which vector species drove transmission. We conducted a retrospective study in four sites in eastern Rwanda that conducted monthly entomological surveillance and outpatient malaria care.

Case Report: Pan-Drug Resistant from a Child with an Infected Burn Wound at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, Rwanda.

Background: is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in intensive care units, and is prevalent in nosocomial infections and cystic fibrosis. The increasing rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) complicate the treatment of infections, especially because of the multidrug resistance (MDR), extensively drug-resistant (XDR), and pan-drug resistant (PDR) strains.

Case Presentation: We report the case of a 4-year-old male with severe burns covering 45% of his body surface who developed nosocomial PDR infection at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK) in Rwanda.

Mpox in East Africa: Learning from COVID-19 and Ebola to Strengthen Public Health Responses.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) in Africa. African public health systems have moved to mobilize a response against a backdrop of inherent significant challenges. With this commentary, we discuss how lessons from past public health emergencies, particularly COVID-19 and Ebola outbreaks, have prepared the region for improved disease surveillance, rapid response strategies, and effective public health communication and how these lessons can be applied to the mpox response, emphasizing the importance of strong healthcare infrastructure, effective data sharing, community engagement, targeted interventions, and robust contact tracing.

Feasibility, Acceptability, Satisfaction, and Challenges of an mHealth App (e-ASCov) for Community-Based COVID-19 Screening by Community Health Workers in Rwanda: Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Although at the base of the pyramid-shaped organization of the Rwandan health system, community health workers (CHWs) are central to the community-based management of disease outbreaks.

Objective: This mixed methods study aimed to explore the feasibility, acceptability, satisfaction, and challenges of a mobile health (mHealth) tool for community-based COVID-19 screening in Rwanda.

Methods: Two urban (Gasabo and Nyarugenge) and 2 rural (Rusizi and Kirehe) districts in Rwanda participated in the project (smartphone app for COVID-19 screening).

Using digital tools and antigen rapid testing to support household-level SARS-CoV-2 detection by community health workers in Rwanda: an operational pilot study.

Objective: To evaluate the use of antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) alongside a digital tool to deliver household-level COVID-19 testing by community health workers (CHWs), in line with Rwanda's ambition to decentralise COVID-19 testing.

Design: This was an operational pilot study to evaluate the impact and operational characteristics of using the digital e-ASCov tool combined with Ag-RDTs to support COVID-19 symptom screening and rapid testing by CHWs across eight districts in Rwanda. A total of 800 CHWs selected from both rural and urban areas were trained in delivering Ag-RDTs for COVID-19 testing and using the e-ASCOV application for data capture on a smartphone.

Diversity and Distribution of Fungal Infections in Rwanda: High Risk and Gaps in Knowledge, Policy, and Interventions.

Fungal infections (FIs) are spreading globally, raising a significant public health concern. However, its documentation remains sparse in Africa, particularly in Rwanda. This report provides a comprehensive review of FIs in Rwanda based on a systematic review of reports published between 1972 and 2022.

Potential impact of climatic factors on malaria in Rwanda between 2012 and 2021: a time-series analysis.

Background: Malaria remains an important public health problem, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. In Rwanda, where malaria ranks among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity, disease transmission is influenced by climatic factors. However, there is a paucity of studies investigating the link between climate change and malaria dynamics, which hinders the development of effective national malaria response strategies.

Building a High-Level Isolation Unit in Rwanda and Establishing a Training Program for the Medical Management of Patients With High-Consequence Infectious Diseases.

Rwanda is a country in East Africa, a region characterized by highly mobile populations and outbreaks of high-consequence infectious diseases occurring on a regular basis. To increase the level of outbreak preparedness in the region, the Rwandan government and the German Ministry of Health signed a joint agreement to construct a new high-level isolation unit in Rwanda, the first in East Africa, and implement a training program for Rwandan healthcare workers to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge for medical management of patients under high-level isolation conditions, including intensive care treatment. To better understand the scope and format of the planned training program, a needs assessment was performed based on findings from a standardized survey of 4 intensive care units in Rwanda as well as observations from 2 members of a German high-level isolation unit who completed clinical internships at Rwandan hospitals.

Cancer risk among people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Rwanda from 2007 to 2018.

Assessing the risk of cancer among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the current era of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is crucial, given their increased susceptibility to many types of cancer and prolonged survival due to ART exposure. Our study aims to compare the association between HIV infection and specific cancer sites in Rwanda. Population-based cancer registry data were used to identify cancer cases in both PLHIV and HIV-negative persons.

Safety of high-dose amikacin in the first week of all-oral rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis treatment for the prevention of acquired resistance (STAKE): protocol for a single-arm clinical trial.

Introduction: An effective rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB) treatment regimen should include prevention of resistance amplification. While bedaquiline (BDQ) has been recommended in all-oral RR-TB treatment regimen since 2019, resistance is rising at alarming rates. This may be due to BDQ's delayed bactericidal effect, which increases the risk of selecting for resistance to fluoroquinolones and/or BDQ in the first week of treatment when the bacterial load is highest.