The Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, has presided over the medicalization, or upgrading, of a basic health centre in rural Rusizi District so that it can provide more advanced clinical services that were previously unavailable there.
In addition to having an expanded range of services to handle more complex cases, medicalization of the health centre also implies that it will now have a full-time medical doctor instead of relying only on nurses or visiting clinicians, and improved infrastructure and equipment.
At Bweyeye Health Centre in Bweyeye Sector, Rusizi District, the minister also handed over smartphones to community health workers as part of the national rollout of the Community Electronic Medical Records (cEMR) system, on Saturday, February 28.
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The minister joined area residents for the end-of-month community work exercise during an event that marked a significant milestone in Rwanda’s continued commitment to ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare—particularly for people living in remote and hard-to-reach areas.
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According to the ministry, Bweyeye Sector has historically experienced significant challenges in health service delivery due to its remoteness and inadequate infrastructure.
Long travel distances, limited facilities, shortages of qualified personnel, and reliance on paper-based systems have often constrained the timely delivery of quality care.
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The establishment of Bweyeye’s first health centre represented a turning point for the community, where access to care had long been a challenge. Previously, residents were required to travel long distances to seek medical services.
Although the health centre steadily provided essential services, growing demand and infrastructure constraints necessitated further investment. The government is upgrading the facility into a fully medicalized health centre, expanding its capacity toward district hospital-level services.
The upgrade includes improved infrastructure, modern medical equipment, and staff accommodation facilities. A full-time medical doctor has been deployed to strengthen clinical oversight and manage more complex cases, supported by additional qualified nurses and other health professionals.
A dedicated transport vehicle was also provided to enhance outreach services and ensure timely response within the health centre’s catchment area.
The transformation of Bweyeye Health Centre reflects Rwanda’s sustained efforts to bring modern, efficient, and responsive healthcare services closer to every citizen—regardless of geography.
Smartphones and cEMR rollout
At the same event, the minister handed over smartphones to community health workers as part of the nationwide rollout of the Community Electronic Medical Records (cEMR) system.
The cEMR system enables real-time data entry, improved patient follow-up, accurate reporting, and strengthened disease surveillance at the community level.
By digitizing community-based health services, the country is enhancing continuity of care and reinforcing evidence-based decision-making.
To support effective implementation, the Ministry of Health is distributing smartphones to community health workers (CHWs) nationwide.
Approximately 55,088 smartphones have been distributed, targeting more than 57,563 community health workers across the country. Currently, 2,988 CHWs are actively using the cEMR system.
The initiative follows a pledge by President Paul Kagame to equip community health workers with modern smartphones, further strengthening their critical role in maternal and child health, communicable disease control, and health promotion.
The digitalization of community health services represents a transformative step in strengthening primary healthcare and accelerating progress toward Universal Health Coverage.