Challenges and Barriers in Accessing Health Services Among the Sudanese Community in Rwanda, 2024

Background: Access to healthcare and equity are fundamental human rights. Rwanda, located in East Africa, has made significant progress in healthcare, economic growth and development efforts over the past few decades, since the national reconciliation that occurred post-genocide fighting. However, some challenges persist. The Sudanese community in Rwanda, mainly composed of refugees and migrants who fled war and Sudan instability and they face unique struggles due to their status and integration into Rwandan society. Hence, this study aims to raise awareness towards the challenges and barriers to address these challenges and barriers to ease accessing the healthcare services in Rwanda. Methods : This descriptive community-based cross-sectional study was carried out on a sample of 103 participants, they were selected through convenience sampling technique. Participants were selected based on their availability and willingness to participate. Data collected through an online questionnaire and Google form used to spread the questionnaire. Data obtained analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 25 (SPSS), then the results presented by tables and charts. Results : The study recruited 102 Sudanese participants, majority (54.9%) were female and 45.1% male. Most participants were aged 18-26. Out of the 102 participants, only one (1) participant did not have legal permission to reside in Rwanda, and data of 102 participants analyzed. All participants were native Arabic speakers, with only 4.9% able to speak French and Kinyarwanda, the languages predominantly used in Rwanda. Language barriers were reported by 21.7% of participants, and 20.8% faced difficulties with transportation. The most reported difficulty was long waiting times to access healthcare services, followed by high service costs (23.8%). Additionally, 45% of participants visited healthcare facilities for illness or injury, while 24.5% visited for routine check-ups. Conclusion : The Sudanese community in Rwanda faced significant challenges in accessing healthcare services due to long waiting times, high service costs, and language barriers. These findings highlight the need to raise awareness and develop inclusive healthcare policies that address these specific needs. Identifying barriers for accessing healthcare is crucial for informing policy- makers to create or develop some programs that would offer culturally appropriate, patient-centered care for the refugee community. In addition, these findings underscore the necessity for an increased support for both refugees and healthcare providers to enhance language proficiency and cultural competency.