Officials at the Ministry of Health say they expect that healthcare records will be fully digital across the country by December, with the full rollout of the e-Ubuzima digital health system in all health facilities. The platform consolidates healthcare services and allows doctors and patients to access medical records online. It is already being implemented in facilities across 15 districts, and the government aims to expand it nationwide, transitioning from a paper-based system to a fully digital one. ALSO READ: Rwanda unveils real-time health monitoring hub Muhammed Semakula, Head of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, and Health Financing at the ministry, told The New Times that the rollout is demanding. Though the digital system itself is ready, the big challenge lies in logistics, specifically in equipping facilities with adequate technology. “You need computers at every health facility. One facility needs a minimum of 25 computers to be fully digitalised,” he explained. “And you can imagine the number of health centres we have. That figure applies to health centres. You might need even more in bigger facilities due to multiple departments,” he added. In addition to supplying equipment, the ministry is focused on training healthcare workers and promoting behaviour change, particularly among staff who may be less familiar with digital systems. “We’re noticing that many from the older generation have lower computer literacy, and they are less motivated to use digital tools compared to younger staff. This is why consistent training is needed,” he added. Semakula emphasised that transforming a facility into a fully digital operation requires around two weeks of intensive work. Internet connectivity is another key component in the digitisation journey. ALSO READ: Can Artificial Intelligence play a role in Rwanda’s healthcare? We also need to ensure every facility has reliable internet access, he said. “We’ve set a target: by December this year, all health facilities in Rwanda should be fully digital and paperless,” he added. He also highlighted ongoing efforts to digitise healthcare services at the community level. By June, all community health services should be digitalised, as the health ministry hopes to avail them with smartphones with internet access. Rwanda has close to 50,000 Community Health Workers working in various communities across the country. Their roles include health education, treating the under-five children of diseases like malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea, and screening children with anaemia and malnutrition. In an earlier interview, Semakula explained the advantages e-Ubuzima would bring in terms of good service delivery. “The first advantage is that if a patient visits a health facility, their records will be traced. This can contribute to good service delivery. The medical practitioner will clearly understand the patient’s medical history because not everyone can explain their medical history to a doctor,” he said. “Sometimes patients may forget what the doctor said to them last time or forget the medicines they took last time. All these issues will be solved with this application,” he added. Semakula also noted that patients will be notified about every payment they need to make for medical services. “The patient will be able to make payments instantly by either mobile money or any other digital payment method available,” he said. According to Semakula, a medical practitioner will have a dashboard with schedules, waiting patients, treatment guidelines, available and accredited medicines to facilitate the work. ALSO READ: Akagera Medicines’ TB drug shows ‘promising’ results in preclinical trials He highlighted that the Ministry of Health will also use the platform to deliver credible information. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health is also 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. 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.
