Occupational therapists have outlined various interventions that could boost occupational therapy services across the country.

ALSO READ: Why occupational therapy must be integrated in medical system

The calls are part of a week dedicated to celebrations marking Occupational Therapy Day, which was launched on Tuesday, October 27.

Occupational therapy (OT) is a type of healthcare that helps people develop, regain or maintain the skills they need to carry out everyday activities independently.

It can help people regain movement and independence after a stroke, injury or surgery. It can also help children improve their coordination, handwriting, sensory processing and play skills, as well as help older people maintain their independence and reduce the risk of falls, among other benefits.

The New Times highlights 10 measures that experts and activists said could boost occupational therapy.

1. Increasing the number of occupational therapists

Epiphanie Murebwayire, chairperson of the Rwanda Occupational Therapy Association (RWOTA), told The New Times that the profession has grown from only two occupational therapists to more than 50 in a decade.

"Realising the gap, the University of Rwanda launched a bachelor's degree programme in occupational therapy in 2015. The first graduates entered the job market in 2019 and joined the occupational therapy association,” she said.

ALSO READ: New physiotherapy, occupational therapy lab unveiled at UR-Remera campus

She said there were more than 50 occupational therapists as of 2025.

"The number is still small compared with the number of people in need of the service,” she said.

She said more needs to be done to increase the number of practicing therapists.

2. Raising awareness about occupational therapy

Murebwayire said communities and healthcare professionals needed to understand occupational therapy and be aware of its benefits so that they could refer patients who needed the service to occupational therapists.

A study titled Knowledge and Awareness of Occupational Therapy (OT) among Healthcare Professionals in Rwanda surveyed 201 practitioners at five teaching hospitals in Rwanda between March and June 2025. It found that 75.1% had heard of occupational therapy as a profession, yet 51.7% had limited knowledge of what it involved.

The study also found that 71.6% agreed that occupational therapy played a significant role in their workplaces, while 83.1% wanted greater emphasis on the profession.

Murebwayire said more efforts are needed to increase awareness about the benefits of therapy, both among medical workers and the general public.

3. Expanding health insurance coverage to OT services

Jean-Claude Muihigirwa, an occupational therapist at King Faisal Hospital, said that health insurance schemes managed by the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), namely Mutuelle de Santé and RAMA, did not cover the cost of occupational therapy treatment.

"Occupational therapy requires many visits or treatment sessions. For instance, if your hand is injured and the nerves are not functioning properly, you may need between six and eight weeks to recover. You must visit an occupational therapist twice a week,” he said.

He noted that one visit costs between Rwf18,000 and Rwf25,000 during the initial consultation period, and between Rwf15,000 and Rwf18,000 during the second phase.

The therapist said this cost could go down if OT services were included in insurance coverage.

4. Recruiting occupational therapists at all hospitals

Muhigirwa said at least 10 people needed occupational therapy every day at the hospital, making it a considerable workload for the three occupational therapists working there.

"If someone has undergone surgery, they may also need occupational therapy. Some people recovering from strokes need the same service, while children struggling to move or speak, among others, also need it. Patients from other countries also come here,” he said.

Recruitment structures have been established, but some hospitals have yet to begin recruiting occupational therapists.

These hospitals include Ruhengeri Hospital, Butaro Hospital and Kibuye Hospital.

Lack of occupational therapists in hospitals in the provinces means many referrals to hospitals in Kigali.

5. Partnerships and securing sponsorship for specialised equipment

Pierre-Damien Turikumana, an occupational therapist and head of the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Rwanda's College of Medicine and Health Sciences (UR-CMHS), said more partners and sponsors were needed to provide the university with advanced equipment to improve training.

"Most of the equipment is imported, and the cost is high,” he said.

He added that the university was the only institution in the country training occupational therapists.

"More than 18 occupational therapists graduated from the University of Rwanda this year, bringing the total number in the country to 83 as of 2026, while 58 students are still under training. We need more advanced equipment as the number of students continues to increase,” he said.

6. Introducing master's and doctoral programmes in occupational therapy

Turikumana said there was a need for specialised master's programmes focusing on occupational therapy, as the existing programme covered rehabilitation in general, of which occupational therapy was one component.

The programme is offered by the Regional Centre of Excellence in Biomedical Engineering and e-Health (CEBE) at the University of Rwanda.

He said more specialised postgraduate training would help strengthen expertise in the profession.

7. Deploying occupational therapists in special and inclusive schools

Turikumana said occupational therapists were needed in special and inclusive schools, as well as in other schools across the country.

"We need partnerships with the Ministry of Education and such schools. General teachers, occupational therapists, psychologists and physiotherapists can work together in these schools,” he said.

The Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB) plans to establish five special needs schools across the country over the next five years, in a major step towards enhancing inclusive education.

8. Internship opportunities for university students

Another element that was highlighted in the need for internship opportunities for OT students.

Gilbert Bashyitsibahire, an occupational therapy student at the University of Rwanda, said internship opportunities could help strengthen the profession by equipping students with practical experience before graduation.

"We have to learn from the experience of practising occupational therapists who graduated before us,” he said.

9. Enforcing occupational therapy into public-sector recruitment

Bashyitsibahire added that the Ministry of Public Service and Labour should continue incorporating occupational therapy positions into public-sector recruitment to provide employment opportunities for graduates.

"This is because occupational therapy is needed in different communities and institutions,” he said.

10. Integrating occupational therapists into the 4x4 health reform

Dr Menelas Nkeshimana, head of the Health Workforce Development Department at the Ministry of Health, said the country had made progress in expanding specialised healthcare but continued to face challenges caused by a shortage of trained personnel.

He said the 4x4 Health Workforce Development Programme, under which government plan to increase medical workers by four times by 2029, would help increase enrolment and expand opportunities for specialist training.

The aim to meet the World Health Organization's recommendation of at least four healthcare professionals per 1,000 people.

By 2028, the ambitious plan aims to increase the health workforce by a total of 32,973 personnel.