The Rwandan government is working to change how health data moves through the healthcare system, with the National Health Intelligence Centre (NHIC) seeking to turn information collected across the country into insights that can support frontline healthcare workers. Dr Eric Remera, Director of NHIC, said this during the Africa Healthtech Summit on September 30. ALSO READ: Nsengimana: Africa must build AI, unlock financing and scale health innovation The Ministry of Health says NHIC draws data from community health workers, health posts, health centres, district and referral hospitals, as well as areas including disease surveillance, emergency response, the health workforce, infrastructure, equipment, financing, supply chains and civil registration and vital statistics. According to Remera, the centre was established to bring together data from across the health system, turn it into actionable insights and ensure those insights support decision-making from national leadership to the frontline of care. “Our mission is to change the traditional direction of information, whereby data is flowing from facilities to the central level or national level, but currently we want also to have an intelligence that moves back to the front line,” he said. He said this would give healthcare providers better tools, reduce paperwork and help them make decisions at the right time. Rwanda is also exploring the use of artificial intelligence in clinical care. A 2026 Ministry of Health document on the 4x4 reform says the country is developing AI-enabled clinical decision support, patient triage and medical imaging interpretation, with plans to integrate these tools into eBuzima and other electronic medical record platforms. “As we embrace artificial intelligence, our principle is clear. Rwanda's health data must serve Rwanda's people, and Rwanda's governance and innovation and trust must advance together.” Jean Marie Vianney Ndayizigiye, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, said digitalisation and the National Health Intelligence Centre are not only about data, but also about helping the country make informed decisions, develop informed policies and make wise investment and spending decisions. ALSO READ: How 30 years of community health workers have changed access to care “Technology must bring care closer to the population. When I am in remote area, I need to have the same advantages as someone living in the capital city of Kigali,” Ndayizigiye said. “It must work for the patient, the community, the health workers, and on the front line, but also it must be supported by the workforce, institutions, and strong leadership,” he added. WHO stresses safeguards Dr Brian Chirombo, WHO Country Representative to Rwanda, said digital health systems should help healthcare workers access information, coordinate care and make better decisions. “Technology alone is not and should not be the destination. Artificial intelligence, though it is critical, alone is not the answer,” he said. “As data is the backbone of healthcare, we must ensure that privacy, ethics, security and human rights remain at the centre of digital transformation.”
