This decision follows a Ministerial Order No. 002/MoH/2024, issued on November 29, 2024, which amends Ministerial Order No. 002/MoH/2019 (April 8, 2019), setting the conditions under which a medical doctor can legally perform an abortion.
Article 5 of the new Ministerial Order, published in the Official Gazette on December 9, 2024, outlines the criteria that must be met for healthcare providers to offer abortion services and expands the list of authorized facilities.
'Abortion is performed in a public or a private health facility authorized by the Ministry in charge of health to operate as a hospital, a health center or a polyclinic. However, the Ministry in charge of health may authorise a clinic that fulfils the requirements to carry out abortion services after assessment of the requirements' states Article 5 of the Order.
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in reproductive health have long highlighted that the complexity of legal abortion services often restricts access, particularly when these services are only available in larger hospitals, making it difficult for many women to obtain the care they need.
Legal grounds for performing an abortion include cases where the pregnancy is the result of rape, incest, or forced marriage, where the pregnancy poses a danger to the woman's health or the fetus, or when the woman is a minor. Abortions are also permitted when the pregnancy threatens the health of the woman or the fetus she is carrying.
With over 512 health centers across Rwanda, the country plans to ensure that all of these centers are staffed with qualified doctors within the next three years, which will increase the availability of comprehensive healthcare services.
The Health Development Initiative Rwanda (HDI Rwanda) has expressed strong support for these recent changes.
In a post shared on X , the organization stated, 'This development is a significant step toward safeguarding the health of women and girls, particularly by addressing the harmful effects of illegal abortions, which have resulted in serious injury or death for many women.'
'This decision will enhance access to safe, reliable, and timely health services for women and girls in need of these critical services,' HDI Rwanda added.
According to data from the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC), a total of 4,378 women and girls received medical abortions between 2020 and 2023, citing various reasons.
The RBC report shows that 60% of those who accessed abortion services were victims of sexual violence, 32% had abortions due to health risks to the woman or fetus, 3% were minors, 2% were impregnated by a close relative, and 1% were victims of forced marriages.
The law stipulates that, except when the pregnancy poses a risk to the woman's health or the life of the child, an abortion should only be performed if the pregnancy is no more than 22 weeks along.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/health-centers-authorized-to-perform-abortions
