The government is considering setting up health posts in schools to improve access to healthcare, particularly to address injuries and other medical needs of children. ALSO READ: Mental health services in school begin to bear fruit The Minister of Health, Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, made said this on Thursday, March 19, while appearing before the parliamentary Committee on Governance and Gender Affairs. He was responding to concerns raised in the 2024/2025 report by the Rwanda Governance Board on health service delivery. “We want schools to have health posts. Some have infirmaries, but they lack qualified health professionals to run them,” he said. ALSO READ: Schools strengthen malaria prevention as cases rise Nsanzimana noted that some boarding schools host large numbers of students who face various health risks. “In some schools, there are about 1000 children. They are exposed to injuries, communicable and non-communicable diseases, as well as mental health issues. They are also at different stages of growth and development,” he said. ALSO READ: Red Cross to launch First Aid program in schools He added that the government is looking to introduce a mental health care package in schools as part of efforts to address psychological challenges. The minister also suggested extending basic health services to other public spaces. “Public places such as bus stations should also have at least a small clinic so that people who get injured can receive immediate care,” he said. Nsanzimana said ongoing efforts to train more health professionals will support the initiative, citing the Associate Nursing Programme, which is expected to produce about 3,000 new nurses by 2028. “We need to train more so that even the private sector can employ them,” he said.
