Rwanda’s Race To Ditch Paper Health Records By December With e-Ubuzima Rollout

For years, the dream has been simple: make healthcare record management faster, smarter, and more reliable by going digital.

Progress has been uneven across Africa, but Rwanda is now racing to turn that vision into reality by the end of 2025.

With a population of roughly 14 million, Rwanda, like many African nations, still relies on paper-based record-keeping systems in healthcare.

Healthcare professionals still use handwritten notes and bulky paper files to track patient histories, treatments, and appointments.

It works—but just barely.

Paper can be lost, damaged, or misread.

And sharing records between clinics or hospitals?

That’s often a logistical nightmare.

Enter e-Ubuzima—a homegrown digital solution with the ambition to replace paper health records across the country by the end of the year.

The system, now active in 15 districts, allows Rwandans to find healthcare facilities, choose providers, and book appointments using a simple mobile app.

But it’s more than just convenience. e-Ubuzima securely stores patient records online, giving healthcare professionals and providers real-time access to medical histories whether they’re in a busy city hospital or a remote village clinic.

That means better coordination, faster diagnoses, and fewer life-threatening errors.

Health officials say it could transform the patient experience. No more repeating your medical history over and over, no more guesswork in emergencies, just better, more efficient care.

Still, the transition will not be without challenges.

One of the biggest is bridging the digital skills gap, especially among older healthcare workers who are more comfortable with pen and paper than laptops and apps.

Training and support are now central to the plan.

“For e-Ubuzima to succeed nationwide, every one of Rwanda’s 520 health centers must be equipped with enough computers and reliable internet connectivity,” said Muhammed Semakula, Head of Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Health Financing at the Ministry of Health, in an interview with The New Times.

In April, Rwanda also unveiled a cutting-edge Health Intelligence Center, designed to improve real-time monitoring of healthcare services and support faster, smarter policy decisions.

The center was launched on the sidelines of the Global AI Summit on Africa by Health Minister Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana and Minister of State Dr. Yvan Butera.

With infrastructure rolling out, apps in hand, and a clear political will, Rwanda is pressing ahead.

The goal: eliminate paper-based records across all public health facilities by December 2025.

It won’t be easy.

But Rwanda is betting big on digital—and e-Ubuzima is at the heart of its healthcare future.

One digital record at a time, Rwanda is writing a new story in African health innovation.

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