Rwanda

Making Abortion Safer in Rwanda: Operationalization of the Penal Code of 2012 to Expand Legal Exemptions and Challenges

Nuriye Nalan Sahin Hodoglugil
Fidele Ngabo
Joanna Ortega
Laetitia Nyirazinyoye
Eugene Ngoga
Evangeline Dushimeyezu
Eugene Kanyamanza
Ndola Prata
2017
Abstract

Penal code was revised in Rwanda in 2012 allowing legal termination of pregnancy resulting from rape, incest, forced marriage, or on medical grounds. An evaluation was conducted to assess women's access to abortion services as part of an ongoing program to operationalize the new exemptions for legal abortion. Data was collected from eight district hospitals; seven gender-based violence (GBV) centers and six intermediate courts. Three focus group discussions and 22 in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants. At hospitals, of the 2,644 uterine evacuation records (July...

Toward Integration of Life Course Intervention and Youth Participatory Action Research

Emily J Ozer
Linda Sprague Martinez
Michelle Abraczinskas
Brian Villa
Ndola Prata
2021

We provide an overview of diverse forms of youth participation, with a focus on youth participatory action research (YPAR) and its synergies with life course intervention research to promote healthier development for young people and across the life span. We analyze why YPAR matters for research, practice, and policies related to the systems and settings in which young people develop. We also illustrate how young people perform YPAR work to improve the developmental responsiveness and equity of school and health systems, including descriptions of an innovative youth-led health center...

Availability of medical abortion medicines in eight countries: a descriptive analysis of key findings and opportunities.

Amy Grossman
Ndola Prata
Natalie Williams
Bela Ganatra
Antonella Lavelane
Laurence Läse
Chilanga Asmani
Hayfa Elamin
Leopold Ouedraogo
Mahmudur Rahman
Musu Julie Conneh‑Duworko
Bentoe Zoogley Tehoungue
Harriet Chanza
Henry Phiri9, Bharat Bhattara
Narayan Prasad Dhakal
Olumuyiwa Adesanya Ojo
Kayode Afolabi
Theopista John Kabuten
Binyam Getachew Hailu
Francis Moses
Sithembile Dlamini‑Nqeketo
Thembi Zulu
Ulrika Rehnström Loi
2023
Background

In recent years a growing number of manufacturers and medical abortion products have entered country markets and health systems, with varying degrees of quality and accessibility. An interplay of factors including pharmaceutical regulations, abortion laws, government policies and service delivery guidelines and provider’s knowledge and practices influence the availability of medical abortion medicines. We assessed the availability of medical abortion in eight countries to increase understanding among policymakers of the need to improve availability and affordability of quality-...

Innovation through telemedicine to improve medication abortion access in primary health centers: findings from a pilot study in Musanze District, Rwanda

Ndola Prata
Karen Weidert
Evangeline Dushimeyesu
Eugène Kanyamanza
Dushimiyimana Blaise
Sharon Umutesi
Eugène Ngoga
Felix Sayinzoga
2025

In 2012 Rwanda expanded legal grounds for abortion to include cases of rape, incest, forced marriage, the health of a pregnant person or fetus at risk, and for minors on request in 2018. The penal code limits abortion care to doctors in hospitals, impeding access for many women. We tested an intervention that provides first-trimester medication abortion at primary health centers, using telemedicine to connect nurses/midwives to doctors in district hospitals for authorization of services. We implemented a 15-month prospective study to assess the feasibility, effectiveness, safety, and...

Bixby Partner Evangeline Dushimeyesu Spotlights Telemedicine Abortion Model at Transform Africa Summit

October 22, 2025
Festive looking of poster presentation Our long-time partner, Evangeline Dushimeyesu from the Rwanda Health Initiative for Youth and Women, highlighted our joint innovation—a telemedicine model for medication abortion—at the 2025 Transform Africa Summit this week. The work was featured prominently in a plenary session aligned with the conference theme, "AI for Africa: Innovate Locally, Impact...

INNOVATION THROUGH TELEMEDICINE TO IMPROVE MEDICATION ABORTION ACCESS IN MUSANZE DISTRICT, RWANDA RESEARCH BRIEF – FEBRUARY 2024

February 1, 2024

Telemedicine provides a unique opportunity to improve abortion care in Rwanda by allowing for service provision at primary care level. Efficacy of medication abortion is well established in healthcare,yet research in Rwanda is still needed to determine the effectiveness and safety of management of first trimester medication abortion cases at health centers. While current services are only available in district hospitals, services at health centers would decrease referrals for first trimester medication abortion. This strategy will also reduce costs of service provision and address...

INNOVATION THROUGH TELEMEDICINE TO IMPROVE MEDICATION ABORTION ACCESS IN MUSANZE DISTRICT, RWANDA RESEARCH BRIEF – FEBRUARY 2024

UC Berkeley Bixby Center
RHIYW
Rwanda Biomedical Centre
Rwanda Society of Obstetricians & Gynecologists
2024

INTRODUCTION


Telemedicine provides a unique opportunity to improve abortion care in Rwanda by allowing for service provision at primary care level. Efficacy of medication abortion is well established in healthcare,yet research in Rwanda is still needed to determine the effectiveness and safety of management of first trimester medication abortion cases at health centers. While current services are only available in district hospitals, services at health centers would decrease referrals for first trimester medication abortion. This strategy will also reduce costs of service...

Karen Weidert will present a top poster at the Society of Family Planning annual meeting on December 3rd

November 29, 2022

The poster highlights our work using telemedicine to increase access to 1st trimester abortion in Rwanda.

Please click here for the poster.

Ndola Prata’s Video Presentation: Innovation through Telemedicine to Improve Medication Abortion Access in Musanze, Rwanda

March 15, 2022

Telemedicine provides a unique opportunity to increase access to abortion care in Rwanda by task-shifting the provision of medication abortion while still complying with law that states only medical doctors can authorize abortion services. In this project, nurses/midwives in public health centers in Musanze District are providing first trimester medication abortion services by using telemedicine to connect with district hospital doctors for authorization. This presentation will discuss how we are implementing a high tech project design in a low technology setting; providing critical...

Rwanda PAC Women’s Educational Booklet

VSI
2013

Information, education and communication (IEC) campaign sample from a postabortion care (PAC) operations research project in Rwanda using the local Kinyarwanda language.

Click here to download PDF