{{Family medicine is the medical specialty which provides continuing, comprehensive health care for the individual and the family.

It is a specialty in breadth that integrates the biological, clinical and behavioral sciences. }}

The scope of family medicine encompasses all ages, both sexes, each organ system and every disease entity.

The concept of the specially trained Family and Community Physician to deliver high quality primary health care is now the norm in most countries of the world.

Although Family Medicine is a post-graduate specialty which is active and well recognized in much of the world, and forms the backbone of the health system of many Western countries (such as the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Scandinavia, Canada, United States), it is still developing in many African countries.

In Rwanda, the Ministry of Health recognized that the health and well-being of a population is still dependent on high quality primary health care, which is easily accessible to all members of that population; requested to start the family medicine program in 2006.

The Family and Community Medicine (FAMCO) was started in August 2008 as a full time Master program in National University of Rwanda.
The University of Colorado in USA helped to develop and monitor the training.

The FAMCO training focuses on training medical doctors in the primary health care setting; based in the district hospitals with outreach to the health centres (almost 85% of Rwandan population get the health care at the community and the district level).

The first group of six Family Physicians graduated from the National University of Rwanda In October 2012.

The Rwandan Family Physician is supposed to provide comprehensive, continuous, person-centered, cost effective and district-based high quality health care, with the vision of improving the total health of individuals and families, which is a major element in the overall socio-economic development of Rwanda.

To enhance the Family Medicine practice, The Rwanda Family Medicine Association (RFMA) was created in June 2011, an Association which aims and objectives are to unit, to provide advice and spokesmen to all its members; to strengthen the position and unanimity of the Family Medicine profession in Rwanda.

Dr KABERA René

Family Physician/RFMA

Twitter:@KaberaRene

Email:renekabera@yahoo.fr