Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), praised Rwanda for its strong efforts in tackling non-communicable diseases. He said the country stands out in Africa because of its political will and investment in health.
His comments came during an international conference on non-communicable diseases held in Kigali from February 13-15, 2025. The event, now in its fourth year, brought together over 700 people from 69 countries around the world.
Dr. Tedros, speaking virtually, urged everyone to step up the fight against diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease, which take millions of lives every year. However, he also acknowledged the significant progress Rwanda has made.
“Every year, non-communicable diseases cause 17 million deaths in people under 70,” Dr. Tedros said. “That’s one death every two seconds. Most of these deaths happen in developing countries. But many of these deaths can be prevented by addressing risk factors like smoking, alcohol, poor diet, lack of exercise, and pollution.”
He added, “Some African countries, including Rwanda, are doing well in this battle. Success requires commitment, political will, investment, and involvement from everyone.”
Dr. Uwinkindi François, who leads the non-communicable diseases division at Rwanda’s Biomedical Center (RBC), explained that Rwanda’s success comes from focusing on prevention. He encouraged people to take advantage of the health opportunities available to them.
“Studies show that 40% of deaths from these diseases can be prevented,” he said. “By avoiding smoking, drinking too much alcohol, not exercising, managing weight, and getting vaccinated against cancer, we can save lives. Early detection is key. For example, breast cancer and cervical cancer can be treated and cured if caught early. Rwanda has the ability to treat these diseases.”
Dr. Uwinkindi also urged people to get checked for diseases early, as treatments are now available. Recently, the government even added cancer treatments to the health insurance plan.
In Rwanda, nearly 60% of illness-related deaths are caused by non-communicable diseases. On a global scale, these diseases account for about 70% of all deaths.
