The current HIV epidemiological situation in Rwanda.

The first cases of AIDS were identified in Rwanda in the year 1983 at Kigali Centre Hospital.

The first study on HIV prevalence carried out in 1986 among the general population revealed the prevalence rate of 17.8% in urban settings and 1.3% in rural areas.

The second survey on HIV prevalence conducted in 2005 among the female population aged between 15-49 and male population aged between 15-59 ( Demographic and Health Survey: DHS 2005 ) showed a prevalence rate of 3% at national level. The prevalence rate in urban settings is 7.7% and 2.3% in rural areas.

Prevalence rate according to socio-demographic characteristics: 2005 DHS showed that women are the most infected by HIV with the prevalence rate of 3.6% against men with the prevalence rate of 2.3%. The age group recording the lowest prevalence is that aged 15-19 with the prevalence rate of 0.5%; the age group representing the highest prevalence rate is that aged 40-44 with the rate of 6.6% of the infected.

The level of knowledge of HIV is still insufficient among the general population and needs to be improved. According to the 2005 DHS results, only 53.6% of women against 57.6% of men have a combined knowledge on AIDS.

Likewise, results from the same study show that the use of condom still remains low especially among the female population with 19.7% against 40.9% among male population.

As for the level of HIV testing, results from 2005 DHS showed that 75.8% of women against 78.1% of men had never had any HIV test.

The minimum age of sex debut is 20 years for surveyed women (aged 15-49) and 20 years for men (aged 15-59).

According to results of the behavioral surveillance survey conducted in 2000 (among the youth aged between 15 and 19, long distance truck drivers and sex workers) the minimum age of the first sexual relations is 14 years among girls and 13 years among boys. The use of condom is of 10% among the youth who are sexually active, 74% among long-distance truck drivers and 90% among sexual workers.

According to the same data, 40% of lorry drivers had sex with a casual partner, and 35% had sex with at least three sex workers (during the last twelve months). However, the use of condom with casual partners is not systematic.

The level of systematic use of condom was 31% for those having sex with non regular partners and 47% for those having sex with sex workers. Since the use of condom with those partners is not systematic, these groups are likely to be exposed to the risks of HIV infection.