This archive report was first published on 10 July 2020.
Covid-19: Rwanda's Success Story Amid Kenya's Struggles ¶
As Rwanda slowly reopens its economy, the country has emerged as a model of Covid-19 handling in the region, with only three deaths recorded, according to a report published on July 10, 2020.
On August 1, 2020, Kigali announced the reopening of its airspace for international passenger flights, just a month after allowing its tourism facilities to reopen. This move comes as the country continues to implement meticulous Covid-19 testing and contact tracing to keep community infections low.
By late June 2020, Rwanda had earned praise from the European Union Council, which recommended the lifting of travel restrictions, alongside 14 other countries. Germany's Robert Koch Institute also declared Rwanda 'no longer a Covid-19 risk area.'
So far, Rwanda has confirmed 1,175 Covid-19 cases from over 150,000 tests, compared to Kenya's 8,528 cases from 195,508 tests done over a similar period.
But what sets Rwanda apart from Kenya? The country's systematic containment measures, strict enforcement of lockdown rules, and meticulous contact tracing have been key to its success.
Unlike Kenya, where policing and enforcement were clouded in corruption, allowing for transmissions, Rwanda's civil obedience ensured that the lockdown measures succeeded, with some areas' restrictions lifted after no Covid-19 cases were found.
Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, the director of Rwanda Biomedical Centre, attributed the success to the country's surveys in Rubavu, which found no community transmissions, unlike Rusizi, which still faces community transmissions.
Rwanda has also scaled up its testing, doing an average of 4,000 tests daily, giving it a clear picture of the mapping it requires in terms of interventions. The country has also implemented a random testing scheme on the streets of Kigali, with further drive-through testing at the national stadium.
The Rwanda Biomedical Centre says that the Covid-19 street survey testing will target 5,000 people daily, aiming to increase the number of its populace screened to get a better picture of the Covid-19 statistics.
Unlike its East African counterparts, Rwanda has opted for an algorithm-driven pool testing, which is cheaper and offers quick results. This means reduced screening costs for the Kigali administration, while allowing it to scale up its daily virus testing.
Additionally, Kigali's meticulous contact tracing and subsequent quarantine have been lauded as effective intervention tools in trying to limit community spread. The employment of technology and phone tools in its contact tracing has also worked for the country.
