The Ministry of Health said it will roll out reforms that will enable health posts to offer more services, improve staffing gaps and strengthen technology use. This is part of efforts address to gaps identified in the network of health posts, the lowest level of medical facilities, including some that were not operational or were located far from communities. Ministry officials made the remarks while appearing before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Friday, July 10, to respond to issues in health posts which were highlighted in the 2024/25 report by the Office of the Auditor General. ALSO READ: How 200 health posts ended up in wrong locations MPs noted that 128 health posts were not operating and asked the ministry to explain measures being taken to address the issue. Jean Marie Vianney Ndayizigiye, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, said an assessment of more than 1,300 first- and second-generation health posts found that about 200 health posts were found to be mislocated, prompting a review how the facilities can better support healthcare delivery, according to the ministry. ALSO READ: Minister highlights growing importance of health posts in Rwanda “Some of them, especially in Western Province, were found to be very far from the people they are supposed to serve. There are places where patients are still carried using traditional stretchers (ingobyi), yet we need to move towards more modern healthcare access,” Ndayizigiye said. He added that some facilities were also located in areas with limited internet connectivity, affecting the use of technology. However, he said the response goes beyond relocating facilities, with plans to strengthen health posts by expanding the range of services they provide, improving equipment, increasing technology use and ensuring they have enough healthcare workers. ALSO READ: Private sector urged to invest in health posts Oreste Tuganeyezu, Director of Clinical Services at the Ministry of Health, said health posts were established to bring basic healthcare services closer to communities by reducing the distance, time and costs people incur when seeking treatment. “The idea was that every cell should have a health post so that people can get treated at the grassroots level,” he said. He explained that the ministry is reviewing the health post model to increase the number of diseases managed at the facilities, improve equipment and strengthen staffing. The reforms are expected to support the government’s target of ensuring 95 per cent of people receive healthcare services at the grassroots level. Tuganeyezu said some services that currently require patients to visit health centres could gradually be brought closer to communities. “For example, someone with hypertension still has to go to health centres to get medicines. We are looking at how we can expand the services offered at health posts,” he said. He added that some health posts were also affected by maintenance challenges and poor locations, which discouraged healthcare workers from staying there. He said the reforms are nearing completion and will guide improvements in the location, capacity and services provided by health posts across the country. The ministry said health post buildings affected by relocation decisions will not be abandoned, with discussions ongoing with local government authorities on how they can be used for other services.
