Deaths linked to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Rwanda have risen significantly, now accounting for nearly half of all fatalities in the country, according to the latest National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) report.
The 2025 report highlights a major shift in the country’s disease burden, with chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, and other long-term conditions increasingly becoming leading causes of death.
The findings show that communicable diseases, which accounted for 70% of all deaths in 2019, declined to 40% in 2025, reflecting improvements in the control of infectious diseases and changes in the overall health landscape.
In contrast, deaths attributed to non-communicable diseases rose from 27.9% in 2019 to 49.5% in 2025, meaning NCDs now account for nearly one in every two deaths recorded in Rwanda.
The report also indicates a rise in deaths caused by injuries and other external factors, which increased from 2.1% in 2019 to 10.5% in 2025.
Health experts link the growing burden of NCDs to changing lifestyles, urbanisation, dietary shifts, reduced physical activity, and increased life expectancy, while warning that the trend requires stronger prevention and early detection strategies.
They further note that the health system will need to adapt by expanding long-term care services, strengthening community awareness, and investing more in screening and management of chronic diseases.
The findings underscore a significant transition in Rwanda’s public health profile, as the country moves from a dominance of infectious diseases toward a rising burden of chronic and lifestyle-related conditions.
