Determinants of Mental Health: Improving Rwanda’s Mental Health System

Rwanda, being a post-conflict setting has been inconclusive in the assessment of its Mental health system from several studies. Not much work has been done in any country of such setting in relation to assessing the entire mental health system after a major armed conflict of genocidal proportion. Therefore, in this review, the use of an academic model- the Dahlgren and Whitehead framework to identify determinants of Mental health in the region.Determinants of Mental Health in Rwanda are the 1994 genocide, COVID-19, resentment/bitterness/unforgiveness, HIV burden directly and indirectly, substance abuse, high sexual activity of the young population, tobacco smoking, social isolation, post-traumatic stress disorder, intimate partner violence, socio-economic hardship and development gaps in infrastructures and institutions.Recommendations of research, more infrastructural developments, the integration of traditional medicine, capacity building and more community participation are given to consolidate on the impressive attempts made by the government for the improvement of mental health in Rwanda. These recommendations, together with what the government has done can serve as a blueprint for systems with similar post-disaster or conflict context.