Partners In Health

Butaro, Rwanda

One of the world’s poorest countries, Rwanda was devastated by the 1994 genocide. Around that time, average life expectancy fell below 40 years.

Known locally as Inshuti Mu Buzima, Partners In Health eagerly volunteered to assist the Rwandan government in 2005. We have since helped to bring high-quality health care to three districts that previously had some of the country’s worst health outcomes. Life expectancy has doubled, and Rwanda is a model for how resource-poor countries can build health systems from almost nothing.

The centerpiece of our work is Butaro District Hospital, in Burera District. Opened in 2011, the hilltop facility with 156 beds brings modern medical care to a district that didn’t have a functioning hospital. Services range from internal medicine to outpatient ophthalmology; intensive care to an ear, nose, and throat clinic. It also serves as a center for medical education for East Africa. Clinicians from top hospitals and medical schools regularly lead training programs.