Rwanda: health and care

What is the life expectancy in Rwanda?

Life expectancy at birth in Rwanda is 70.5 years in 2026, according to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), based on population projections from the 2022 census. The World Bank, using UN estimates, gives 68.0 years for 2024.

The two figures use different methods: NISR projects forward from the census, while the UN produces internationally comparable estimates for every country. NISR also records that 17.3% of deaths registered in 2025 had ill-defined causes, which limits detailed analysis of what people die from.

Official sources: NISR: Key figures · World Bank: Life expectancy at birth, Rwanda

How common is malaria in Rwanda?

Malaria caused 0.2% of deaths among children under five and 0.4% of deaths among older people recorded in Rwanda's health facilities in 2023, according to the NISR Statistical Yearbook 2024, using Rwanda Biomedical Centre data. Nine under-five and 36 older-person deaths were attributed to malaria.

Incidence is higher than deaths suggest: the World Bank, using WHO estimates, puts it at 77 cases per 1,000 people at risk in 2024, up from 54 in 2023. Malaria programmes are run by the Rwanda Biomedical Centre.

Official sources: NISR: Statistical Yearbook 2024 (PDF) · World Bank: Incidence of malaria, Rwanda

How many doctors are there in Rwanda?

Rwanda's public health sector employed 1,447 doctors in 2023, up from 1,223 in 2022, according to the NISR Statistical Yearbook 2024. It also employed 8,872 nurses and 1,589 midwives.

The figures cover the public sector only, so doctors working only in private clinics are not counted. The number of nurses in public service has fallen from 11,083 in 2021.

Official sources: NISR: Statistical Yearbook 2024 (PDF)

How many people in Rwanda have health insurance?

97.3% of people in Rwanda had health insurance in 2022, according to the population and housing census reported in the NISR Statistical Yearbook 2024. The share was 87.3% in 2019/20 and 43.3% in 2005/06.

Most people are covered by community-based health insurance (Mutuelle de Santé), run by the Rwanda Social Security Board; others are covered by employer schemes and private insurers. Current health spending was 5.1% of GDP in 2023, according to the World Bank.

Official sources: NISR: Statistical Yearbook 2024 (PDF) · World Bank: Current health expenditure, Rwanda

What is the maternal mortality rate in Rwanda?

Rwanda's maternal mortality ratio was 229 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023, down from 234 in 2022, according to the UN inter-agency estimate published by the World Bank.

The UN figure is modelled to be comparable across countries. Rwanda's own estimate comes from the Demographic and Health Survey, run by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda. NISR also records the total fertility rate at 3.5 children per woman in 2025.

Official sources: World Bank: Maternal mortality ratio, Rwanda · NISR

What is life expectancy in Rwanda?

68.0 years: that is life expectancy at birth in Rwanda for 2024, according to the UN Population Division. That is the highest since at least 2005. Sub-Saharan Africa median: 64.3 years; Rwanda is 11th highest of 48. Worldwide: 143rd of 193.

What is the infant mortality rate in Rwanda?

The UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation puts the infant mortality rate in Rwanda at 29.4 per 1,000 in 2024. It is the bottom of the series, which starts in 2005. Sub-Saharan Africa median: 37.2 per 1,000; Rwanda is 37th highest of 48. Of 192 countries with 2024 data, 48th highest.

What is maternal mortality in Rwanda?

229 per 100,000: that is the maternal mortality ratio in Rwanda for 2023, according to the WHO. That is the lowest since at least 2005. Sub-Saharan Africa median: 257 per 100,000; Rwanda is 31st highest of 48. Of 192 countries with 2023 data, 34th highest.

What share of GDP does Rwanda spend on health care?

The WHO puts current health spending in Rwanda at 5.1% of GDP in 2023. Its high point since 2005 was 2012, at 8.1% of GDP; its low point was 2019, at 4.9% of GDP. Across Sub-Saharan Africa the middle value was 4.4% of GDP, and Rwanda placed 20th highest of 48. Worldwide: 121st of 191.

What is out-of-pocket health spending in Rwanda?

According to the WHO, out-of-pocket health spending in Rwanda was 4.1% in 2023. No year since 2005 has been lower. Sub-Saharan Africa median: 32.4%; Rwanda is 48th highest of 48. Of 191 countries with 2023 data, 185th highest.

How many doctors does Rwanda have?

According to the WHO, the number of doctors per 1,000 people in Rwanda was 0.09 per 1,000 in 2022. Since 2005 it has ranged from 0.01 per 1,000 (2011) to 0.14 per 1,000 (2017). Sub-Saharan Africa median: 0.18 per 1,000; Rwanda is 38th highest of 46. World rank, highest first: 117th of 125.

What is hospital capacity in Rwanda?

0.75 per 1,000: that is hospital beds per 1,000 people in Rwanda for 2023, according to the WHO. Its high point since 2008 was 2013, at 0.77 per 1,000; its low point was 2008, at 0.60 per 1,000. Across Sub-Saharan Africa the middle value was 1.1 per 1,000, and Rwanda placed 5th highest of 5. Of 73 countries with 2023 data, 64th highest.

What is measles vaccine coverage in Rwanda?

WHO and UNICEF puts measles vaccination among children aged 12 to 23 months in Rwanda at 97.0% in 2024. The peak was 99.0% in 2018 and the low 87.0% in 2021. It is 2nd highest of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 81.0%. World rank, highest first: 31st of 191.