Medical citizen outreach programs as Rwanda Defense Force homegrown solution for health challenges in Rwanda

Introduction: Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) Medical Citizen Outreach Program (COP) is a product of a longterm cordial relationship between the Rwandan population and its army from the early 1990s in the liberation struggle to now. This was part of a long plan of social economic development agenda of the government of national unity to deal with complications of genocide and a very low healthcare provider-to-population ratio and the need to take medical services to the disadvantaged. A yearly intervention has been on, and its effects in uplifting the healthcare of the population are being investigated.

Methods: The data on 1015 patients were collected from 5 sites (Rubavu, Nyanza, Rulindo, Kayonza and Bugesera) on Survivors of 1994 genocide against Tutsi. The specialists from 9 departments of RMH (Internal Medicine, Orthopedics and General Surgery, Dental, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Ears, Nose and Throat (ENT), Obstetrics and Gynecology, Urology and Clinical Psychology) carried out data collection. This study was an analytical cross-sectional survey. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, logistic regression model and proportion test were used.

Result: A total number of 1015 of patients was enrolled with elderly patients (53.7 %) compared to other age categories. This study showed that 60% of treated patients were cured or had their disease recurrent after sometimes. The department of General Surgery and Orthopedics had the highest number of consultations (20.3 %), and Dermatology had the lowest number (2.3 %).

Conclusion: This study showed that being treated or more generally visiting RMH specialized doctors during RDF medical COP permanently or temporally healed genocide survivors. However, further studies regarding the importance of RDF medical COP for the general population and on specific diseases would be an excellent supplement to this study.