Forensic psychiatry in Rwanda

Forensic psychiatry has often been neglected in nonwestern countries, including the African continent. Our aim was to assess the practices and needs for improvement in the field of forensic psychiatry in Rwanda. During a one-week visit conducted in October 2017, we interviewed key-informants working at decisional levels in the domains of health, justice and security. Two clinical workshops involving psychiatrists, psychologists and nurses were held in psychiatric facilities, including at Ndera, the main psychiatric hospital of the country. Three axes of development and improvement were identified: First there is a need for a clearer, more coherent and updated legislative framework. Second, the absence of a forensic secured unit, which compromises both quality of care for forensic patients and security of the other patients and staff, should be remediated. Third, the supervision and training in this specialized domain should be provided through international collaborations. Hopefully, Rwanda could become in the next few years a driving force for other African countries in the field of forensic psychiatry.