Rwanda says telemedicine helped cut maternal deaths by 30% in 2025

By The Inspirer.

Rwanda is expanding the use of digital technology in healthcare to improve the collection and analysis of health data, support faster decision-making and provide more timely medical services to patients.

The Ministry of Health says advances in medical technology, modern equipment, collaboration among healthcare professionals and the use of telemedicine contributed to a 30% reduction in maternal deaths in 2025.

The figures were presented on September 30, 2026, during the Africa Health Tech Summit in Kigali, which brought together health and technology experts to discuss how digital solutions can accelerate healthcare delivery across Africa.

More than 4,000 participants from 12 African countries and other parts of the world attended the summit.

Africa continues to face major challenges in adopting technology in healthcare. More than two million community health workers across the continent are estimated to lack access to digital tools, while more than 100,000 health facilities reportedly operate without reliable electricity and internet connectivity.

Speaking at the summit, Rwanda’s Minister of State for Health, Dr. Yvan Butera, said the world is facing a shortage of healthcare professionals and that technology can help address some of the challenges facing health systems.

He said Rwanda had already started seeing results from the use of digital healthcare solutions.

“The number of women dying during childbirth decreased because, in 2025, maternal deaths fell by 30%. This was helped by making information about pregnant women more accessible, allowing those with complications to be identified and followed up earlier,” Dr. Butera said.

He added that wider adoption of digital health systems is important if African countries are to expand access to quality healthcare, particularly because technology enables health professionals to access information needed to make informed decisions.

“Technology helps you access information and understand how to care for a patient in a personalised way, based on their condition and the information available about their illness,” he said.

Telemedicine expands specialist support

Rwanda has also expanded the use of telemedicine, allowing specialist doctors to support colleagues treating patients at other health facilities.

According to Dr. Butera, the system has so far helped 13 women who were at risk of dying during childbirth, by enabling specialists to provide support remotely.

The Ministry of Health has also established the National Health Intelligence Center, which is responsible for collecting and analysing health data to support decision-making and improve healthcare services.

Rwanda is also moving away from paper-based health records towards digital systems that allow patient information to be stored electronically and accessed when needed.

Digital registration through Irembo is also being used to improve civil registration of births. Currently, 63% of children born in health facilities are registered immediately, compared with an estimated African average of 44%.

The developments are part of Rwanda’s broader efforts to use technology and data to strengthen healthcare delivery, improve early identification of health risks and enable medical professionals to respond more quickly to patients in need.