Dear Readers,
I appreciate your continuous interest in the Rwanda Public Health Bulletin (RPHB); we hope that its content is still informative and relevant to your work and overall career development.
It is needless to mention that Rwanda and the entire world are still battling the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. In fact, many countries are currently experiencing second surges in new COVID-19 infections. However, in addition to already established preventive measures, a number of COVID-19 vaccines candidates has been developed and some approved at certain levels. Rwanda is also working to secure the purchase of COVID-19 vaccine in the shortest upcoming months. Unfortunately, several SARS-CoV-2 new variants have emerged in the fall of 2020 and are circulating globally. Among these, there are variants of concern that have been recently identified in UK, South Africa and Brazil which are widely spreading in several countries with suspicion in our settings as well. Scientists are working to learn more about these variants to better understand how easily they might be transmitted and the effectiveness of currently authorized vaccines against them.
In this issue, you will read about the COVID-19 updates, and on the development and usage of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide as well as new emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. Considering that the health system is still demanded to address other diseases areas and health programs, this issue also includes topics on the provision of family planning services in Rwanda.
As I encourage you to continue supporting the RPHB by submitting your works, I call for your maintenance for your maintenance of COVID-19 preventive measures. As public health experts, we are very much expected to serve as good role models in communities where we live. Doing so will allow us to serve as field ambassadors to address, control and pull the country out of the current COVID-9 pandemic crisis.
Stay safe
