In a bold step toward modernising its healthcare sector, Rwanda’s Ministry of Health has announced that all medical records will be fully digitised across the country by December. At the heart of this transformation is e-Ubuzima, a cutting-edge digital health platform already active in 15 districts and now being rolled out to every health facility nationwide.

The system is designed to centralise patient data, making it accessible to doctors and patients alike, enhancing both service delivery and transparency.

“We’ve set a target: by December this year, all health facilities in Rwanda should be fully digital and paperless,” said Muhammed Semakula, Head of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, and Health Financing at the Ministry of Health.

Transitioning from paper to digital is no small feat. One of the biggest challenges, according to Semakula, is logistics particularly equipping each facility with enough computers.

Internet access is another major pillar. Ensuring reliable connectivity across thousands of health facilities is crucial for real-time access to patient records and effective system functionality.

Beyond hardware, Rwanda is also investing in human capacity. Many older healthcare workers, Semakula explained, are less comfortable with digital tools. The ministry is conducting ongoing training to build digital skills and shift mindsets toward a paperless future.

Digitisation won’t stop at hospitals and clinics. By June, all of Rwanda’s 50,000 Community Health Workers key players in delivering frontline care will be equipped with smartphones and internet access. This will allow them to input and retrieve patient data remotely, especially for under-five treatments and malnutrition screenings.

The benefits of e-Ubuzima are far-reaching. Medical professionals will be able to trace patient histories instantly, reducing misdiagnoses and improving continuity of care.

“Sometimes patients may forget what the doctor said to them last time or forget the medicines they took last time. All these issues will be solved with this application,” said Semakula.

In addition, the platform supports digital payments, notifying patients of costs and allowing mobile transactions for smoother billing.

Doctors will also have access to dashboards featuring their schedules, treatment guidelines, and medicine availability, streamlining clinical workflows.