The Ministry of Health is preparing to launch a pilot project for a virtual hospital, a new facility that will allow medical specialists to consult with and treat patients remotely across the country. The specialists will be based in a central location in Kigali but will be able to support patients and healthcare providers in hospitals and clinics nationwide without needing to be physically present. ALSO READ: Rwanda unveils real-time health monitoring hub The virtual hospital will leverage telemedicine, an approach that uses digital technology such as video calls, mobile apps, and online platforms to deliver healthcare services remotely. Muhammad Semakula, the Head of the Department for Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Health Financing at the Ministry of Health, said the initiative is part of Rwanda’s broader strategy to address the shortage of medical doctors and specialists in the country. He explained that they developed telemedicine tools to support doctors in connecting with patients at district hospitals. Using mathematical models, the system is able to assess each patient upon arrival at a health facility and classify them as either high-risk or low-risk. If a patient is identified as high-risk, they are admitted automatically, both physically at the physical facility but also virtually through the telemedicine platform. ALSO READ: Can Artificial Intelligence play a role in Rwanda’s healthcare? The virtual hospital will be piloted at the Health Intelligence Centre, a new facility launched by the Ministry of Health this month to monitor health services in real time, consolidate data from various facilities and communities, and use this information to conduct analysis and inform policy decisions. Preparations for the pilot project are already over 90 percent complete, with the virtual hospital pilot set to begin within the next couple of months. Semakula explained that doctors at the virtual hospital will have a variety of responsibilities, including assisting surgeons in the field during procedures such as C-sections. Through the virtual platform, doctors can observe the procedures in real time, offering guidance to medical staff on what actions to take, when to take them, and how to make supportive decisions during the process. “We believe with that one we can offer a lot of services and we can reduce the risk of losing life,” he noted. The pilot project will begin with a small team of doctors at the virtual facility, focusing initially on maternal and neonatal health services. If the pilot proves successful, it can be expanded to offer more services across the country. “We will have two gynaecologists providing services to 10 district hospitals that have high maternal death rates,” he noted. “If the pilot is successful, we will expand the project to create a virtual hospital that offers a broader range of services, including various departments with different specialties.” ALSO READ: Kagame, Africa CDC boss discuss digital health The use of such virtual tools and technologies is part of the country’s ongoing efforts to address the challenges caused by shortages of doctors and specialists. in 2023, the government launched the 4x4 Reform, a visionary strategy aimed at quadrupling the number of healthcare workers in the country to meet the WHO recommendation of at least 4 healthcare professionals per 1,000 population density. The strategic initiative builds upon the groundwork laid out in the National Strategy for Health Professionals Development (NSHPD) 2020-2030 and aligns with the MOH’s Strategic Priorities 2023-2025, which aim at improving the primary healthcare system and public health security through promoting evidence-based medicine and systems, enhanced leadership, and digital integration approaches. Under the 4x4 reform, the health sector is projected to expand its pool of health professionals, including residents, fellows, general practitioners, dental surgeons, pharmacists, nurses, midwives, and allied health sciences personnel. By the year 2028, this ambitious plan aims to increase the health workforce by a total of 32,973 personnel.
