KIGALI — Rwanda is intensifying its investment in digital tools for healthcare delivery, with a growing number of community health workers (CHWs) now equipped with smartphones to improve coordination, reporting, and frontline care across the country.
The programme, led by the government and supported by private and non-profit partners, is part of a broader strategy to strengthen public health infrastructure by leveraging mobile technology. In 2010, the government distributed more than 8,700 mobile phones to CHWs across the country, forming a foundation for real-time communication between local health providers and national referral systems.
More recently, in 2024, 938 smartphones were distributed to CHWs in Nyabihu District through a partnership between Health Builders and pharmaceutical firm Sanofi. The devices allow users to access Rwanda’s community electronic medical records (cEMR) system, used for reporting health cases, tracking antenatal care, and coordinating follow-up for children’s immunisations and nutrition.
In urban areas, including Kigali, the Rwanda Biomedical Centre confirmed that over 3,700 health workers based at village-level health centres have also received mobile phones to support public health communication and services.
Digital Inclusion Beyond Health
From 15 November to 3 December 2021, a separate but complementary initiative led by the Ministry of ICT and Innovation (MINICT), in collaboration with MTN Rwanda, delivered 16,250 smartphones—one for every household across all 30 districts. Districts in the initial rollout included Gicumbi, Bugesera, Gatsibo, Nyabihu, Ngororero, Gisagara and Huye.
The initiative is part of Connect Rwanda, launched in 2019 as a national effort to expand digital access and increase smartphone ownership. It introduced a public pledge model where both public and private sector actors committed devices for distribution. According to MINICT, over 44,000 smartphones were pledged and nearly 25,000 honoured to date, with 7,670 units already distributed.
Former MTN Rwanda CEO Mitwa Ng’ambi described the partnership as a “step closer” to bridging the national digital divide. “What started out as an idea has now grown into a movement,” she said during a handover event in Bugesera.
Health Facilities Nationwide Now Connected
Today, all public medical facilities in Rwanda have internet connectivity, including rural clinics and referral hospitals. This has significantly improved data reporting, remote consultations, and case management between CHWs and national systems.
The expansion of digital health tools, however, has not been without structural challenges. As Rwanda moved from small-scale pilot projects to a nationwide CHW network, common issues emerged: inconsistent supervision, low community engagement in some areas, poor incentive structures, and high staff turnover.
In response, the government designated CHWs as a priority sector for health system reform, opening space for more coordinated policy action, partner investment, and operational support at district level.
A Model for Regionally Integrated Health Systems
With over 58,000 CHWs currently serving across Rwanda, the country’s investment in mobile tools and system integration is reshaping its health service delivery model. The emphasis remains on strengthening coordination between local health workers and national institutions, while ensuring access to timely information and digital tools.
For policymakers, funders, and healthcare strategists across East Africa, Rwanda’s experience offers a working model of how digital inclusion, when aligned with primary care investment, can accelerate health outcomes—particularly in underserved or remote communities.
