Rwanda: Treatment of people with HIV by the state and the community at large (March 2001)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 30 March 2001 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | RWA36560.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Rwanda: Treatment of people with HIV by the state and the community at large (March 2001), 30 March 2001, RWA36560.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4bea44.html [accessed 6 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Sources published in 2000 indicate that over 400, 000 people in Rwanda have been infected by the HIV virus (UNAIDS 2000; IRIN 6 Jan. 2001; AFP 26 Feb. 2000; The Boston Globe 20 Feb. 2000; RNA 13 Jan. 2000). This figure represents almost 11 per cent of the sexually-active population of the country (IRIN 6 Jan. 2001; AFP 26 Feb. 2000; RNA 13 Jan. 2000). A 26 January 2001 BBC report estimates one million people are infected with the HIV virus in Rwanda. According to the Director of the National AIDS Control Programme (PNLS), HIV prevalence rates in urban areas ranges between 30 and 61 per cent (RNA 13 Jan. 2000).
A 13 January 2000 RNA report stated that, "the major constraints to HIV/AIDS in Rwanda include stigma and discrimination against people with AIDS, illiteracy stumbling block to AIDS education and the negative impact of AIDS on women as the main source of family stability and economic development."
In January 2000, the Director of PNLS announced that for the year 2000, the Rwandan government had made a budget allocation of 100 million Rwandan francs for HIV/AIDS control (IRIN 6 Jan. 2000).
According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), "Rwandan political leaders have expressed strong political commitment to beat back the rise of HIV infection rates in Rwanda" (17-24 Feb. 2000).
Two 2001 sources stated that an agreement on cheaper drugs for HIV/AIDS sufferers had been reached between the Rwandan Government and pharmaceutical companies (Radio Rwanda 27 Jan 2001; BBC 26 Jan. 2001). According to the Rwandan Ministry of Health, with such an agreement, total price cuts in anti-retroviral will reach 60 to 70 per cent of the present rates in Rwanda and there will be free distribution of drug with proven efficacy for inhibition of the transmission of HIV infection from mother to child (Radio Rwanda 29 Jan. 2001)
In additional to their activities, some Rwandan women's organizations such as Pro-femmes members (The Boston Globe 20 Feb. 2000), or AVEGA (Genocide Widow's Association) (Radio Rwanda 12 Jan. 2001) provide AIDS counselling to their members.
The NGOs forum provides "pivotal support" in co-ordinating AIDS-related activities, sharing information and ensuring a well-balanced distribution of service throughout the country and a prevention programme (RNA 13 Jan. 2000).
Joined in Kigali on 27 March 2001, a member of the UNDP's appraisal committee in charge of designing a national framework programme to reduce the socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS in Rwanda HIV/AIDS explained that, under the co-ordination of tha national commission created recently by the Rwandan authorities, different actors, including donors, national and international NGOs involved in the prevention of HIV, and technical UN agencies are working together to fight against HIV/AIDS. However, he added that, because of Rwandan citizens's low income in general, many HIV/AIDS patients could not access the treatment even if their prices were drastically cut (ibid.). The UNDP representative explained that the stigma attached to AIDS illness still exists in Rwandan society. However, because of the high number of HIV/AIDS sufferers and the great "prise de conscience" by the Rwandan authorities of the impact of AIDS on the entire society, the stigma attached to AIDS and discrimination against patients has significantly diminished (Ibid.).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Agence France Presse (AFP). 26 February 2000. "Around 400 000 Rwandans have HIV Virus Says Officials." (NEXIS)
BBC. 26 January 2001. "Rwanda Joins Cheaper AIDS Treatment Deal."
The Boston Globe. 20 February 2000. Lara Santoro. "Rwanda's Women Bear Sad Brunt of Killings." (NEXIS)
Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN). 6 January 2000. "Rwanda: Worrying Scale of HIV-AIDS Problem Revealed."
Radio Rwanda [Kigali, in English]. 27 January 2001. "Rwanda Signs Agreement for Provision on Cheaper HIV/AIDS Treatment." (BBC Summary 27 Jan. 2001/NEXIS)
_____. 27 January 2001. " Rwanda: Association Says Over 66 Percent of Genocide Widows HIV Positive." (BBC Summary 27 Jan. 2001/NEXIS)
Rwanda News Agency (RNA) [Kigali, in English]. 13 January 2000. "Rwanda News Agency Reports on AIDS Epidemic." (BBC Summary 21 Jan. 2000/NEXIS)
United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). 2000. "Rwanda: Epidemiological Fact Sheet On HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infection."
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 27 March 2000. Telephone interview with member of HIV/AIDS Appraisal Committee
_____. 17-24 February 2000. "Weekly Update From UNDP Rwanda."
