Historical Overview of Nursing and Midwifery Education and Nursing Workforce in Rwanda

Nursing education in Rwanda is undergoing rapid transformation. The literature reveals that the training of nurses and midwives in Rwanda started during the colonial era. Many of the nursing schools were opened by religious institutions such as Catholics, Protestants and Adventists, some being public and private. During 1980s there was a great transformation in nursing education in Rwanda, mainly by phasing out medical assistants, and education was restructured and the secondary program was fixed to 6 years; the nursing program was integrated in secondary education. In 1994, the Genocide against the Tutsi has seriously affected all sectors of life especially nursing. After the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, the Government of Rwandan invested in training nurses at various levels, and many public and private nursing and midwifery schools were opened. In 2007, a competency based approach was introduced in nursing education, and Public nursing schools were permitted to train nurses and midwives with advanced diploma (A1). Today, with the support from the Government of Rwanda, Nursing and Midwifery profession is becoming a pillar and cornerstone of Rwandan Health system.