Inside the Ongoing Upgrade of Ruhengeri Referral Hospital
The long-awaited transformation of Ruhengeri Hospital is beginning to take shape, as demolition works and site preparations make way for a major new hospital complex expected to significantly transform healthcare delivery at the Northern Province facility, which is now nearly nine decades old.
The upgrade is aimed at expanding capacity and modernising one of the country’s key referral and teaching hospitals. On May 8, the Minister of Health, Sabin Nsanzimana, visited the hospital to assess progress on preparations for the construction project, which was pledged by President Paul Kagame to residents of the province, according to the Ministry of Health.
Over the past two weeks, the ministry said 12 hospital services have been temporarily relocated to create space for the new building, marking the first visible phase of a project expected to substantially expand healthcare capacity in the region.
Once completed, the new facility will increase bed capacity from 300 to 550, while also strengthening specialised treatment services and enhancing the hospital’s role as a teaching institution.
During the visit, the Ministry of Health said preparations were progressing steadily, including the relocation of services and clearing of the construction site.
Demolition and fencing works underway
The Minister’s visit focused on preparations for the new hospital, as well as inspections of services that had been temporarily relocated.
“We would like to inform you that after relocating the services that were operating in the area designated for the new building, demolition works and fencing of the site have now started,” the hospital said in a statement, adding that the Minister welcomed the progress but urged faster implementation so that construction works can begin without further delay.
Concerns over project delays
The development comes amid broader concerns over delays in major public health infrastructure projects across the country.
While presenting the latest public finance management audit report to Parliament on May 6, Auditor General Alexis Kamuhire warned that delays in large hospital projects risk increasing costs due to rising construction input prices and slowing improvements in service delivery.
According to the Office of the Auditor General, three major hospital projects under the Ministry of Health — with a combined budget exceeding Rwf239 billion — have yet to begin despite significant delays. These include the construction of Ruhengeri Hospital, delayed by two years and four months; the upgrade of Kabgayi District Hospital, delayed by two years and two months; and the construction of Muhororo District Hospital, delayed by one year and seven months.
Located in Musanze District, Ruhengeri Hospital serves as both a teaching hospital and the district’s main referral facility. It provides healthcare services to the population of Musanze — estimated at more than 476,000 people according to the 2022 census by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda — as well as residents from neighbouring districts including Burera, Gakenke, and Nyabihu.
Built in 1939 during the colonial era, the hospital is now nearly 90 years old, underscoring the urgency and significance of the long-awaited modernisation project.
Ruhengeri Hospital modernisation begins to take shape
