Rwanda’s health sector is set to receive a financial boost, with the government planning to increase its health budget by more than Frw 3 billion in the 2025/2026 fiscal year compared to the previous year.
This disclosure was made by the Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, before parliamentarians on Tuesday.
He also noted that the Ministry has sought ways to bridge gaps for projects previously funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
According to Dr. Nsanzimana, more than Frw16.5 billion has been allocated specifically for the purchase of medical equipment.
Overall, the Ministry of Health and its affiliated institutions have been allocated over Frw 333.5 billion for the 2025/2026 budget.
This represents an increase from the Frw 330.2 billion in the revised 2024/2025 budget.
To put this into perspective, the health sector’s budget for 2023/2024 stood at Frw 274.1 billion, and Frw 273.9 billion was used in 2022/2023.
Despite the challenges faced due to the halt in funding for certain projects by USAID and Enabel, Dr. Nsanzimana emphasised that the Ministry responded by adjusting its planning priorities, focusing on the most urgent needs, and ensuring the effective use of the limited available resources.
Alternative funding sources were identified among new partners. Although the exact size of the funding gap was not disclosed, Dr. Nsanzimana told IGIHE that the strategies implemented helped prevent potential disruptions to the health sector.
“What we did was to look for alternative sources of funding, both within the government and from other partners. We also sought ways to combine activities that could generate greater impact using fewer resources. Additionally, we postponed non-urgent projects to the next fiscal year,” he noted.
The government also expects the health budget to grow further in the 2026/2027 fiscal year, reaching Frw 361.1 billion.
In the 2025/2026 fiscal year, the Ministry of Health will receive Frw 66 billion. The Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) will receive Frw 232.9 billion, up from Frw 225 billion in the previous year.
Rwanda FDA has been allocated Frw 8.9 billion, while the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK) will receive Frw 12.4 billion. The University Teaching Hospital of Butare (CHUB) is set to get Frw 8.09 billion, and the Neuropsychiatric Hospital at Caraes Ndera will receive Frw 4.3 billion.
In addition to these allocations, several hospitals are expected to generate revenue during the fiscal year. CHUK is projected to bring in over Frw 17.2 billion, CHUB over Frw 10.2 billion, and Caraes Ndera more than Frw 5.1 billion.
The Ministry has also laid out a number of key infrastructure projects. These include the expansion of Ruhengeri Hospital, where Frw2.5 billion will be spent this year on initial works. The entire project is expected to cost over Frw 111 billion and is scheduled for completion by 2026.
Construction of the new Muhororo Hospital in Ngororero District is also planned, with over Frw 1.8 billion to be spent this fiscal year.
The full project is projected to cost more than Frw 10 billion by 2028. Meanwhile, Phase II of the Kabgayi Hospital construction will begin, with Frw1.5 billion allocated, and a new maternity ward at Kibagabaga Hospital will receive Frw1 billion this year, though the full project will eventually require more than Frw 10 billion.
Dr. Nsanzimana further revealed that the government will continue building a modern laboratory for Rwanda FDA, designed to meet international standards.
This lab is expected to serve as a key facility for the African Center of Excellence for Biomedical Engineering and eHealth (CEBE), which is based in Rwanda. The total cost of the lab project exceeds Frw 10.1 billion, with Frw 1.4 billion earmarked for the upcoming fiscal year.
Lastly, the construction of the National Health Laboratory Services will continue, with Frw 2.7 billion allocated for 2025/2026. This is part of a broader project that will eventually cost more than Frw 86.4 billion.
