The Covid-19 pandemic has shown Rwanda the necessity of investing in pandemic preparedness and strengthening national capacity to deal with current, future, sudden and catastrophic public health threats. Following the lessons learned, the Government of Rwanda with the help of Global Fund and the World Bank has established Nyamata Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) Center to help effectively and sustainably deal with current and future EID of greater public health concern. The centre is a sort of a “mobile field hospital” built in the District of Bugesera and located close to Nyamata District Hospital. It is currently serving as the national Covid-19 isolation and treatment center. According to Zachee Iyakaremye, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, the centre will also give services that include surgery operations, critical care, delivery, hospitalisation, among others. He noted that in case Covid-19 will no longer be a huge problem to the country, the facility will assist Nyamata District Hospital in providing medical services since it even has different equipment that cannot be found at the hospital. The centre worth USD 6.41 million investment co-financed by the Government of Rwanda, The Global Fund and the World Bank. The Government of Rwanda’s contribution is estimated at around USD 1.55 million, the Global Fund provided USD 3.86 million for the procurement and installation of construction equipment and under the Third Additional Financing for Rwanda Covid-19 Emergency Response Project, World Bank will provide USD 1 million for the installation of a solar energy system to support regular and uninterrupted electricity supply. According to Iyakaremye, the facility is built with containers that can be moved to any place in a small time which he said reflects a modern way of combating epidemics. The Center was put on the rails on February 17 and is equipped with an oxygen plant and 100 beds, including 68 hospital beds, 22 critical care beds (8 beds for the High Dependency Care Unit, HDU; 8 beds for the Intensive Care Unit, ICU; 6 beds for the Emergency Unit), 6 beds in the Maternity Unit and 2 beds in the delivery room. According to Dr Cyprien Iradukunda, the Site Manager of Center, the facility has replaced the one at Kanyinya which served as national Covid-19 isolation and treatment center since 2020. He said they have so far received seven Covid-19, adding that since March 8, they haven’t received any. He noted that the centre has the capacity to receive 100 patients and can help more Rwandans since it provides services that are rarely found in other health facilities across the country. He revealed that it was also designed in such a way to serve as a One-Stop Center for Covid-19 patients with comorbidities or any other health conditions requiring particular medical attention. Inside High Dependence Unit room of Nyamata EID Centre. Aerial view of Nyamata EID Isolation and Treatment Center.
