The construction of a modernized and expanded Ruhengeri Referral Hospital is set to begin in May, according to Maurice Mugabowagahunde, Governor of the Northern Province.

The hospital rehabilitation and expansion project is expected to cost €100 million (approx. Rwf168 billion), 75 per cent of which will be provided by the French Development Agency (AFD).

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Originally built in 1939, Ruhengeri Hospital is among several health facilities in Rwanda whose facilities no longer meet current healthcare demands or modern standards. The upgrade is expected to significantly improve service delivery and respond to a rapidly growing population it serves, which is projected to reach 3 million people by 2040.

"The project aims to increase the hospital’s bed capacity from 320 to 550 and improve access to quality healthcare services for residents of the Northern Province,” Governor Mugabowagahunde said in an interview with The New Times.

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To facilitate the construction, according to him, some services will be temporarily relocated.

"The rehabilitation of the hospital requires the temporary relocation of some hospital services to nearby government buildings. These buildings are currently undergoing renovation and repurposing to accommodate the hospital services during the rehabilitation phase. These renovation works on these building are progressing well and are expected to be completed in April 2026," he noted.

The hospital will have 36 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, eight operating rooms, and a conventional radiology platform. The facility will also be equipped with modern diagnostic technologies such as an MRI and a 64-slice CT scanner, alongside the installation of a modern radiology unit. These facilities could transform Ruhengeri Referral Hospital into one of Rwanda’s best-equipped hospitals.

A 220-bed maternity unit, including 40 incubators, will significantly strengthen its capacity to manage more than 6,000 births annually.

AFD indicates that, through this support, French expertise will be mobilized to train and mentor the hospital’s staff—particularly in hospital administration, emergency medicine, ICU care and maternal health—to ensure they are fully prepared when the new facility opens.

The support will also provide technical support assistance for managing the construction works.

Dr Philbert Muhire, Director General of Ruhengeri Hospital, highlighted that they currently face several challenges, including a shortage of specialists for in eye care, mental health and dermatology.

"Having only one specialist per department in a hospital with a large number of patients is a serious challenge,” Muhire said.

"It becomes a major problem when the doctor may need is on leave. This is a critical challenge we are facing.”

Dr Muhire emphasized that the hospital’s aging infrastructure is no longer adequate to accommodate the growing number of patients it receives from Musanze District, Burera District, Nyabihu District, and Gakenke District, as well as some cases from Ngororero District.

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"We have been waiting for this project for a long time,” he said.

Officials indicate that Ruhengeri Referral Hospital currently serves a population of about two million people annually.