Rehabilitation and expansion works are underway at Ngarama Hospital, as part of the Ministry of Health’s effort to modernise one of Gatsibo District’s oldest health facilities and improve healthcare services in Eastern Province. Built in 1980, the hospital has faced years of challenges including outdated infrastructure, limited space, asbestos roofing and deteriorating walls. The Rwf 6 billion project aims to address these problems and expand the hospital’s capacity once completed. The project includes the construction of a multi-storey building designed to provide wider and safer spaces for patients, caretakers, and medical staff. Hospital officials say the upgrade will significantly strengthen service delivery at a facility that serves referrals from 10 health centres. For residents like Getrude Mukagatsinzi, 42, from Kigashi Cell in Ngarama Sector, the renovation comes as long-awaited relief. She recalls difficult nights spent outside the wards when her son was admitted last year. “The space is limited only for patients. Caretakers do not have a place to stay,” she said. “When your patient is admitted for a week or more, it becomes very challenging. Expanding the hospital is long overdue. I was born here and have never seen any renovation at this hospital.” Ngarama Hospital receives patients referred from seven health centres in Gatsibo District, facilities serving refugees from Nyabiheke Refugee Camp, and three health centres in neighbouring Nyagatare District. The expansion is expected to ease congestion, improve working conditions for health workers, and enhance the quality of care for thousands of residents who depend on the hospital. The Ministry of Health previously identified Ngarama Hospital as one of the facilities in Eastern Province requiring urgent intervention to strengthen service delivery, alongside Nyagatare Hospital and Rwamagana Provincial Hospital. According to hospital management, limited space and a high number of admissions relative to available staff have been major challenges. Dr. Jean Bosco Nzambimana, the hospital’s director, said the current infrastructure can no longer meet demand. “We operate in a more than 40-year-old facility that receives over 120 patients daily,” he said. “There is limited space and equipment for smooth service delivery, and we currently have 13 medical doctors, 13 midwives, and 48 nurses.” Officials in Gatsibo District welcomed the renovation, describing it as a critical investment for the community that will improve healthcare quality and access to medical services.
