Rwanda expands access to legal abortion services
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Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) plans to extend legal abortion services from hospitals to health centres across the country, building on a successful year-long pilot program.
From July 2025 to June 2026, approximately 900 to 1,000 women and girls received abortion services at health centres participating in the pilot, which operated in Musanze, Karongi, Rwamagana, and Ruhango districts. Trained nurses and midwives now assess patients and facilitate access to the services, with doctors providing oversight and reviewing cases electronically.
The expansion follows regulatory changes in December 2024 that broadened the types of health facilities authorised to provide abortions, previously limited to hospitals and polyclinics. RBC is currently refining its approach and determining a timeline for the nationwide rollout during the 2025/26 fiscal year, when around 3,200 women and girls are expected to seek legal abortion services. RBC is also addressing the potential impact on faith-based health facilities, acknowledging that some religious organisations may object to providing abortion services.
In those cases, patients will be referred to alternative facilities where they can receive the necessary care, ensuring continued access to legal abortion throughout Rwanda.
