Project

The Human Resources for Health (HRH) Rwanda Program was established in response to the Minister of Health’s (MoH) identification of the country’s health workforce deficit.  Launched in August 2012, the HRH Rwanda Program has been a partnership among the Rwanda Ministry of Health (MOH), Rwandan health care facilities & academic institutions, 23 top US academic institutions (nursing, medicine, dentistry, health administration ), & funders including the US Government (PEPFAR, USAID, CDC) & the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. 

Specifically, it seeks to target the shortage of skilled health care workers, the quality of education for health care workers, infrastructure and equipment (both quality and quantity), and health care facility management capacity. Review the program overview.  

NYU Meyers is currently in the seventh and final year of this seven-year program.  We provide international faculty expertise to further the development of nursing faculty and prepare Rwandan nurses/midwives to address issues including emerging infectious diseases, chronic illnesses, and maternal-child health.   We currently have eight nursing faculty posted in Rwanda working as faculty educators and mentors at the University of Rwanda School of Nursing and Midwifery.  Over the project life we have filled 79 faculty and nurse clinician slots, with 39 persons, and remain as one of two US nursing institutions currently active within the HRH Program.

Over the last five years, we have worked closely with the University of Rwanda School of Nursing and Midwifery to develop their new nursing masters program with the following sub-specialty track areas: Pediatrics, Nephrology, Oncology, Medical Surgical, Peri-operative care, Emergency Care and Education, Management and Leadership.  To date, over 100 masters prepared students have already graduated from the program, and the second cohort is entering their second year. 

NYU Meyers is currently seeking additional funding to measure project success and track outcomes as the masters’ cohorts continue to graduate and reenter the health workforce with an advanced nursing degree.  To date, the college has been successful in raising additional private funds of $35,000 to support conference participation and travel for NYU nursing faculty and Rwandan counterparts for purposes of professional development, and is currently working with UDAR to investigate options for additional funding.