Drugs covered by Mutuelle de Santé nearly double

The number of drugs covered under Rwanda's Community-Based Health Insurance (Mutuelle de Santé) has nearly doubled, increasing from 800 to 1,500 following recent government reforms aimed at improving healthcare access for scheme members. This was revealed by Dr. Yvan Butera, the Minister of State for Health, on Thursday, March 6, while addressing members of Parliament in the Committee on Governance, Gender Equity, and Equality regarding challenges in healthcare access and the government’s efforts to address them. Dr. Butera stated that the expanded coverage under Mutuelle de Santé includes a

The number of drugs covered under Rwanda's Community-Based Health Insurance (Mutuelle de Santé) has nearly doubled, increasing from 800 to 1,500 following recent government reforms aimed at improving healthcare access for scheme members. This was revealed by Dr. Yvan Butera, the Minister of State for Health, on Thursday, March 6, while addressing members of Parliament in the Committee on Governance, Gender Equity, and Equality regarding challenges in healthcare access and the government’s efforts to address them. Dr. Butera stated that the expanded coverage under Mutuelle de Santé includes additional medications for cancer, heart disease, kidney conditions, and mental health—major categories of the newly added drugs. “We’ve introduced new medications for mental health and expanded coverage for existing conditions based on research,” Butera said. He noted that cancer drugs contribute significantly to medical expenses. In response, the government has added 14 new services, including cancer treatment, kidney transplants, cardiology, minimally invasive surgery, and joint replacements, which were approved by the Cabinet on January 17. Regarding cancer patients traveling to Butaro for treatment, Butera assured MPs that, starting in July 2025, cancer drugs will also be available at hospitals such as the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), the University Teaching Hospital of Butare (CHUB), and Rwanda Military Hospital in Kanombe. With the rise in life expectancy at birth—from 64.5 years in 2012 to 69.6 years in 2022, according to the latest census—Butera emphasized the importance of including hip and knee implants in Mutuelle de Santé coverage, as aging joints and bones become more prone to fractures. According to the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), in 2023, Mutuelle de Santé collected Rwf85 billion in contributions while paying out Rwf75 billion in benefits to cover healthcare costs for its subscribers.