Rwanda is among the winners of the World Health Organisation 2012 Resolve Award which acknowledges the countries' efforts towards family planning and universal access to reproductive health services.

Rwanda is among the top four countries that were awarded including, Nepal, Malawi, Ethiopia and Yemen.

The awards were given out at the 65th World Health Assembly that was held in Geneva.

The Director General of Clinical Services in the Ministry of Health, Dr Jean de Dieu Ngirabega received the award on behalf of the nation.

"Rwanda's achievements are attributed to the government's investment in health at all levels as well as the strong political will that relates to performance contracts and general commitment at central government," Ngirabega said.

The Resolve Awards were created to call attention to innovations that might change the lives of the 215 million women around the world who want to delay or avoid their next pregnancy, but lack access to reproductive health information or services.

From 2005-2010 Rwanda's Total Fertility Rate dropped from 6.1 to 4.6.

During this period, Contraceptive Prevalence Rate increased from 10 per cent to 45 per cent.

The award recognises the strides taken by the government and its commitment to vision 2020 that aims to transform the country into a middle-income one in which Rwandans are healthier, educated and generally more prosperous.