The announcement was made by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health, Dr Yvan Butera, during the opening of the fifth Africa HealthTech Summit (AHTS), held in Rwanda. The summit brought together approximately 4,000 participants from more than 150 organisations to discuss how technology, data and research can improve healthcare across Africa.
Dr Butera said Rwanda had made significant progress in reducing maternal mortality, with deaths among women giving birth declining by 30% over the past two years alone, partly through the use of modern systems for monitoring pregnant women’s health.
Figures from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) show that the maternal mortality ratio fell from 1,071 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 149 in 2025, representing an 86.1% decline over the period.
Dr Butera attributed the recent progress to Rwanda’s continued use of technology to identify health risks early and integrate information from different parts of the healthcare system.
He explained that the country had introduced a dedicated electronic health information system used by more than 54,000 community health workers. These workers use smartphones to record patient information, monitor their health and identify those at high risk, particularly in maternal and child healthcare.
The system links information from community health workers, health centres, hospitals and specialist doctors. This enables healthcare providers to identify high-risk pregnancies and prepare for potential complications before they become critical.
“Since we established an integrated health information system, health centres can access information recorded by community health workers, while hospitals and specialists can identify high-risk pregnancies,” Dr Butera said.
To further improve healthcare delivery, Rwanda has also introduced a virtual hospital system that connects district hospitals with specialist doctors who can provide support remotely at any time.
The programme enables district-level healthcare providers to consult specialists when dealing with complex medical cases. Since its introduction, it has helped save the lives of 15 mothers who were at risk of serious complications.
Dr Butera said the goal was not simply to reduce the statistics but to use technology to better protect human lives.
“We want to achieve changes that have a real impact on people’s lives, where lives are saved, transformed, and people live longer and healthier lives,” he said.
Rwanda continues to develop a data-driven, technology-enabled healthcare system in which information supports decision-making by health authorities and reaches frontline providers to help ensure patients receive appropriate care on time.
Data-driven decisions are improving healthcare delivery
Rwanda is also strengthening the use of data and technology to improve healthcare services and ensure that decisions are based on reliable evidence.
Eric Remera, head of the Rwanda National Health Intelligence Centre, said the country was moving away from paper-based records towards integrated digital health information systems connecting different institutions, including hospitals and medical laboratories.
He explained that the centre was established to consolidate health information from different sources and generate insights to support decision-making, from senior government officials to frontline healthcare providers.
“The goal is not simply to collect large amounts of data, but to ensure that the information reaches healthcare providers so they can make informed decisions and provide the right treatment at the right time,” he said.
Through these digital systems, health authorities can monitor various challenges, including medicine shortages, disease outbreaks and areas requiring targeted medical assistance.
The World Health Organization’s representative in Rwanda, Dr Brian Chirambo, said digital health initiatives should focus on improving patient outcomes while upholding public trust, protecting people’s rights and ensuring equitable access to services.
He highlighted several initiatives supported by the United Nations in Rwanda, including the Kigali HealthTech Hub, the National Centre for Health Intelligence, telemedicine, digital health monitoring and the expansion of integrated health information systems.
Jean-Philbert Nsengimana, chair of the Africa HealthTech Summit and Senior Adviser at Africa CDC, said the event had continued to grow since its launch in 2022.
He said approximately 4,300 participants had registered for this year’s summit, compared with around 600 attendees at the inaugural event.
Nsengimana added that the summit had evolved beyond discussions about healthcare technology into a platform for attracting investment and implementing digital solutions to address Africa’s healthcare challenges.
Africa HealthTech Summit seeks to boost investment
Nsengimana said Africa’s digital health sector had significant growth potential but needed a larger market and stronger collaboration among investors, technology developers and government institutions.
He highlighted the Deal Room initiative, a platform designed to connect health technology companies with investors interested in financing emerging projects.
This year’s programme includes 22 growth-stage companies, 13 confirmed investors and more than 31 scheduled meetings between investors and innovators.
Nsengimana cited previous investments facilitated through the initiative, including an investment of $3.1 million by an investor who attended an earlier summit in a South African health technology company. Another investor subsequently invested an additional $6 million in the same company.
The Africa HealthTech Summit is also expected to strengthen partnerships between African innovators and international partners through cooperation initiatives involving Africa and Canada, Africa and the United States, as well as international research and technology institutions.
