VZCZCXRO7756
PP RUEHGI RUEHRN
DE RUEHLGB #0827 3381349
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041349Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6481
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP 0120
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0323

UNCLAS KIGALI 000827 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID ECON RW
SUBJECT: NON-SCALPEL VASECTOMY SUCCESSFULLY INTRODUCED IN 
RWANDA 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: USAID's Capacity and Twubakane (Building 
Together) projects, implemented by the Government of Rwanda 
(GOR) and U.S. private voluntary organization IntraHealth, 
have successfully introduced vasectomy in Rwanda.  Since 
2008, over 445 men have undergone the procedure in 11 of 
Rwanda's 30 districts.  Vasectomy, a permanent method of 
preventing unwanted pregnancies, has great potential to 
enable Rwanda to further reduce fertility, which has already 
declined from 6.6 live births per woman in 2005 to 5.5 in 
¶2008.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Before 2008, vasectomy, a safe and highly effective 
family planning method, was used infrequently in Rwanda. 
Starting in 2008, under the leadership of the Ministry of 
Health (MoH), the IntraHealth-led USAID Capacity Project in 
Rwanda began to support training in the delivery of 
no-scalpel vasectomy (NSV) in Nyabihu and Gicumbi districts. 
Capacity/Rwanda, in partnership with MoH and district 
authorities, designed and implemented a program to 1) train 
doctors and nurses on counseling and deliver of NSV, 2) 
sensitize local officials to the benefits of NSV, and 3) 
develop information, education and communication (IEC) 
materials to reduce social stigma associated with the 
procedure.  As of June 2009, trained providers in six 
Capacity-supported districts had conducted 390 NSVs.  The 
IntraHealth-led Twubakane Decentralization and Health 
Program, in collaboration with district partners, began 
supporting training of NSV providers in April 2009.  As of 
September 2009, providers had conducted 55 NSVs in five 
of Twubakane's districts. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Capacity Project closed in Rwanda in September 
2009 and will close globally in March 2010.  The Twubakane 
Project will close in January 2010.  IntraHealth is currently 
compiling and analyzing data and project results for 
activities undertaken both for the Capacity project and the 
Twubakane program.  In order to provide further data for 
decision-makers within Rwanda, IntraHealth will collect 
NSV-related data in IntraHealth's 13 partner hospitals that 
are currently providing NSV.  These 13 hospitals are Shyira 
(Nyabihu district), Byumba (Gicumbi), Rutongo (Rulindo), 
Musanze (Musanze), Kibilizi (Gisagara), Muhororo (Ngororero), 
Kabutare (Huye), Kigeme (Nyamagame), Kaduha (Nyamagame), 
Gitwe (Ruhango), Kabgayi (Muhanga), Rwamagana (Rwamagana), 
and Kibungo (Ngoma).  MoH will contine to lead this effort as 
part of its national family planning program under the 
direction of Dr. Fidele Ngabo, head of the department 
responsible for family health services, and with the support 
of the officer responsible for 
 health management information systems, Dr. Emilien Nkusi. 
 
¶4. (SBU) COMMENT:  Family planning is a sensitive topic in 
Rwanda, as tradition here places a high value on large 
families.  At the same time, Rwandans are acutely aware that 
land is scarce and theirs is the most densely-populated 
country in Africa.  The introduction of NSV in Rwanda by 
IntraHealth, with support from USAID, is a real success that 
has the potential to enhance greatly Rwandans' ability to 
plan their families and prevent unwanted pregnancies.  END 
COMMENT. 
SYMINGTON