The apps were unveiled on October 13 during the Africa HealthTech Summit at Kigali Convention Centre.
e-Buzima is a digital health platform designed to digitise medical records and synchronise patient information across all public health facilities. The system allows doctors and patients to access medical records in real time, reducing waiting times and improving treatment accuracy. It also eliminates the need for patients to repeat their medical histories when referred from one facility to another.
e-Banguka, on the other hand, focuses on emergency medical response, enabling real-time ambulance tracking and identifying the nearest available ambulance to a patient. Together, the two apps create a connected network linking community health workers, health centres, hospitals, pharmacies, and patients, streamlining information flow and care coordination.
“These applications will help citizens access health services more quickly while ensuring seamless information sharing,” said Dr. Yvan Butera, Minister of State for Health.
He added that the platforms also allow patients to consult doctors remotely, providing professional guidance over the phone.
The digital systems are expected to reduce patient costs by eliminating repetitive paperwork and supporting evidence-based planning at the Ministry of Health.
According to the ministry, the apps are locally developed and comply with national data protection and cybersecurity regulations, ensuring that all patient information is stored and managed securely within Rwanda.
Ozonnia Ojielo, UN Resident Coordinator in Rwanda, praised the initiative as a model of partnership-driven innovation, highlighting collaboration between government, UN agencies, private sector actors, and local tech developers. The platforms are interoperable, cost-effective, and tailored to Rwanda’s context while adhering to ethical standards in handling patient data.
By leveraging artificial intelligence and digital tools, Rwanda is taking significant steps toward modernising its healthcare system, improving service delivery, and expanding access to quality care for all citizens.
According to the hospital’s annual performance report covering July 2024 to July 2025, patient numbers have been on a steady rise for the past three years. The hospital treated around 94,000 patients in 2023, and the figure climbed to over 101,000 in 2024, before reaching nearly 120,000 in the latest reporting period.
The report shows that neurological and psychiatric disorders remain the leading causes of admission, with epilepsy and schizophrenia accounting for nearly half of all cases recorded.
{{Epilepsy most common condition
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Epilepsy topped the list of illnesses treated at Ndera, with 36,097 patients, representing 29.08 percent of all those treated. It was followed by schizophrenia, a severe mental disorder characterized by distorted thinking and perception, which accounted for 24,991 cases (20.14 percent).
{{Surge in acute and bipolar disorders
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The hospital also treated 10,349 cases of Acute and Transient Psychotic Disorder (ATPD), a short-term mental illness that can be triggered by stress, trauma, or substance use, representing 8.34 percent of total admissions.
Bipolar disorder, characterised by alternating episodes of depression and mania, affected 7,235 patients (5.83 percent), while depression accounted for 4,076 cases (3.28 percent).
{{Rise in substance abuse and trauma cases
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Cases of Substance Use Disorders, including dependence on alcohol, cannabis, heroin, and other drugs, continued to rise, with 3,229 patients (2.7 percent) receiving treatment. These are primarily managed at the Icyizere Psychotherapeutic Center in Kicukiro District, which also provides specialized care for trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
In total, the hospital recorded 4,250 inpatients during the year under review.
{{Psychiatric and neurological cases
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Out of the total caseload, 66,335 were psychiatric patients, while 53,524 suffered from neurological disorders, making up 44.67 percent of all admissions. Neurological conditions treated include stroke, dementia, and chronic headaches, among others.
The report emphasizes that CARAES Ndera’s services extend beyond mental illness, countering the long-held perception that it treats only psychiatric conditions. The hospital now plays an expanding role in managing neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders.
{{Rising demand exceeds hospital capacity
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Hospital officials say that patient demand continues to outpace the facility’s capacity, pushing operations to 116 percent of what it was designed to handle.
“We are now operating beyond our capacity, treating up to 116 percent of what the facility was originally built for,” said Frère Nkubiri Charles, the hospital’s Director General.
Nkubiri noted that 45 percent of patients come from Kigali City, with the hospital experiencing sustained growth in mental health cases following the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Globally, Covid-19 led to about a 30 percent increase in mental health disorders,” he explained. “Our figures were slightly below that, but we still observed noticeable rises in depression, anxiety, and trauma-related conditions.”
“The impeachment of President Andry Rajoelina has been voted. Among the 131 members of parliament present during the vote, 130 voted in favor of the impeachment, while one abstained,” said the assembly’s Vice President, Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, following the session.
The decision came just hours after Rajoelina announced the dissolution of the National Assembly.
Local media quoted Randrianasoloniaiko as saying that the dissolution decree was “devoid of legal validity due to the absence of formal validation.”
On the same day, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, a Malagasy military officer, announced that state power in Madagascar has been taken over by a military council comprising members of the army, gendarmerie and national police.
Randrianirina said the constitution has been suspended and new national structures established “to meet the aspirations of the Malagasy people.”
He also announced the dissolution of key public institutions, including the Senate, the High Constitutional Court and the National Independent Electoral Commission.
In Rwanda, this message could not be more relevant. The country’s steep hills and intense rainfall make it particularly prone to natural hazards. In 2023, two forces of nature stood out as Rwanda’s deadliest disasters — landslides and lightning. One crept silently through soaked hillsides; the other struck suddenly from the sky. Together, they claimed more lives than any other disasters that year, underscoring how geography and climate continue to shape risk across the nation.
Data from the Vulnerability Assessment and Climate Risks in Rwanda (2024) show that landslides and lightning have been the most frequent and fatal hazards over time. Between 2016 and 2023, landslides killed 449 people, while lightning strikes claimed 379 lives. Over the same period, floods caused 259 deaths and rainstorms 237, revealing a consistent and worrying pattern in Rwanda’s disaster history.
The country’s iconic landscape — steep, green, and breathtaking — is also what makes it fragile. Western and northern districts such as Gakenke, Rutsiro, Nyabihu, Ngororero, and Rubavu sit on hilly terrain that receives some of the heaviest rainfall in Rwanda.
According to the Disaster Risk Hotspots Assessment Report (2024), Rwanda has 326 identified hazard hotspots, with 134 rated as high or very high risk. Most lie in highland regions where rainfall often exceeds 1,800 millimetres per year, loosening soil and triggering deadly slope failures.
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Human activities such as deforestation and cultivation on steep slopes have magnified these natural vulnerabilities. As trees are cleared for farming or construction, soil stability weakens. When heavy rains fall, water quickly turns into runoff, destroying homes, crops, and roads.
The May 2023 floods and landslides demonstrated this danger vividly. In just two days, torrential rains killed 131 people, displaced over 51,000, and destroyed thousands of homes, mostly in the same western districts repeatedly flagged in national risk assessments.
Lightning, though less visible in its destruction, remains equally deadly. Rwanda’s equatorial location and high elevation make it one of Africa’s most lightning-prone countries. The same storms that sustain agriculture can, in moments, turn lethal. Victims are often caught in open spaces such as farms, playgrounds, or church grounds.
{{Adapting through science, relocation, and awareness
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Experts warn that changing rainfall patterns, longer dry spells followed by intense downpours, are increasing disaster risks. Soils become more saturated, landslides more frequent, and thunderstorms more violent. In fast-urbanising areas like Musanze and Rubavu, metal roofing and hillside construction further heighten lightning exposure.
Recognising these threats, the Government of Rwanda has strengthened disaster preparedness through relocation, infrastructure upgrades, and community awareness. Under the National Relocation and Mitigation Plan, more than 6,000 households living on high-risk slopes are being moved to safer zones. Engineers are reinforcing bridges and roads, planting trees, and building terraces to stabilise hillsides.
The Ministry of Education has installed lightning rods in schools, while local authorities extend protection to churches and community centres. Public campaigns now teach residents how to stay safe during storms and recognise warning signs of slope failure.
{{Building a culture of preparedness
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These interventions align with Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation II (NST2), which treats disaster risk reduction as a cornerstone of sustainable development. The focus is shifting from response to prevention, integrating resilience into agriculture, urban planning, and education.
Rwanda’s geography cannot be changed, but its management can. Through reforestation, stronger building standards, and continuous community engagement, the country is building resilience step by step.
On this International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, Rwanda’s story stands as both a warning and an inspiration, a reminder that resilience is not built after disaster strikes, but every day through preparation.
Each landslide that scars a hillside and each flash of lightning in the sky reminds Rwanda that survival depends on readiness. The challenge now is not just to recover from disasters, but to stay ahead of the next one.
The launch took place at the University of Rwanda’s College of Science and Technology (CST-UR) on Friday, October 10, 2025.
Using Internet of Things (IoT) technology, the devices, designed to be mounted on both motor vehicles and motorcycles, continuously gather and transmit air quality data in real time. They monitor key indicators such as temperature, humidity, particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), and gases including ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and sulfur dioxide (SO₂).
Data will be analysed in real time, enabling city administrators and researchers to identify high-risk pollution areas and take early preventive action.
Representing the university, Professor Richard Musabe said the initiative will be highly beneficial to Kigali and its surrounding areas.
Dr. Eric Nizeyimana, the researcher behind the project, explained that the idea began in 2020 as a response to rising global air pollution. The research was conducted at the African Centre of Excellence in Internet of Things (ACEIoT).
“Air pollution is a major challenge in Kigali and beyond. It is crucial to develop sustainable solutions to protect both current and future generations,” Dr. Nizeyimana said. The project will initially focus on Kigali, with plans to expand to other provinces.
Eddah Barasa, Research Grants Officer at the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) under PASET, praised the initiative for its innovative use of technology and potential impact. RSIF/PASET also financially supported the research.
The Clean City IoT Device project not only collects and analyses real-time air quality data to guide preventive measures but also aims to raise public awareness, foster scientific collaboration, and engage communities in protecting urban environments.
Key partners in the project include the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), Meteo Rwanda, the National Council for Science and Technology (NCST), Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA), and RSIF/PASET.
Between 2016 and 2023, disasters destroyed 451 bridges across Rwanda, according to the Vulnerability Assessment and Climate Risks in Rwanda (2024). Gakenke District alone lost 54 bridges, while Rubavu, Rutsiro, and Nyabihu recorded dozens more. Each replacement costs between Frw 80 million and Frw 300 million, depending on terrain, pushing the total bill into tens of billions of francs.
Every collapsed bridge means more than broken infrastructure. It means interrupted trade routes, delayed medical care, and food supplies stranded on the wrong side of rivers. For a landlocked nation that relies heavily on road networks to connect rural producers to markets, the cost of such destruction ripples through the national economy.
Over the past seven years, extreme weather has wiped out more than 46,000 hectares of farmland nationwide. Of this, about 23,400 hectares were lost to rainstorms, 11,100 hectares to floods, 6,400 hectares to landslides, and 5,400 hectares to hailstorms.
The western districts of Gakenke, Ngororero, Rubavu, and Nyabihu suffered the worst losses, sometimes losing entire harvests in a single event. Beyond the immediate food shortages, these disasters threaten Rwanda’s key export crops, including coffee and tea largely grown in the highlands, most vulnerable to erosion and flooding.
The Disaster Risk Hotspots Assessment Report (2024) identified more than 70 critical public facilities, including schools, health centres, and power lines, built in high-risk zones.
Between 2016 and 2023, 104 water systems were damaged, nearly half of them in Gakenke District. Each repair can cost up to Frw 500 million, and when these systems fail, entire communities are left without access to clean water.
According to the Ministry of Finance, climate-related disasters reduce Rwanda’s annual GDP growth by about one percent, primarily through losses in infrastructure and agriculture. Local economies bear the brunt: farmers lose income, traders face higher transport costs, and small businesses suspend operations as roads and bridges are rebuilt.
As the world marks the International Day for Disaster Reduction this Monday, October 13, Rwanda’s experience offers a sobering case study in why resilience matters. The day, celebrated annually, highlights global efforts to reduce vulnerability to natural hazards and reminds countries of the cost of inaction. For Rwanda, it reinforces an urgent message: preparedness and prevention are far more affordable than recovery.
To curb future losses, the government is investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, including the relocation of 6,000 households from high-risk zones, slope reinforcement projects, and stronger bridge designs. New construction standards now require improved drainage systems and higher clearances to withstand heavier rainfall.
Through partnerships with the World Bank and the African Development Bank, Rwanda is also piloting anticipatory financing mechanisms, systems that unlock funds for repairs and mitigation before disasters escalate.
Speaking aboard Air Force One on Monday morning, Trump said the truce would hold and announced plans to establish a “Board of Peace” to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction. He described the enclave as a “demolition site” but predicted it would become “a miracle” over the next decades.
“Everybody is happy, and I think it’s going to stay that way,” Trump told reporters, praising Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Qatar for their roles in mediating the deal.
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The ceasefire, which took effect on Friday, marks the first phase of a 20-point peace plan brokered by Washington. Under the deal, Hamas is expected to release the remaining hostages it has held since the October 2023 attacks, in which about 1,200 Israelis were killed and more than 250 taken captive.
Twenty hostages are believed to be alive, while Hamas is expected to return the remains of up to 28 others. In return, Israel is set to release roughly 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 detainees from Gaza, once the hostages reach Israeli territory.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, including over 18,000 children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The war left vast areas of Gaza in ruins and displaced more than 1.5 million people.
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Trump will address Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, before travelling to Egypt for an international summit in Sharm El-Sheikh aimed at formally ending the war. Egyptian officials said a “document ending the war in the Gaza Strip” is expected to be signed, with leaders from over 20 nations in attendance, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Iran confirmed it was invited to the summit but said its top leaders would not participate, citing tensions with Western governments.
Despite the ceasefire, Gaza’s humanitarian crisis remains dire. Aid convoys began entering the enclave on Sunday, though UN officials say the volume falls far short of the 600 daily trucks needed to address severe shortages of food, water and medicine.
Palestinians returning to northern Gaza have found widespread destruction, with many homes reduced to rubble and unexploded ordnance scattered across residential areas.
Meanwhile, reports from Gaza City indicate renewed internal clashes between Hamas security forces and members of the Dughmush family, leaving at least 27 people dead in one of the most violent domestic confrontations since Israeli troops pulled back.
As Trump continues his tour, expectations are high but uncertainty remains over the next phases of the peace plan — including who will govern Gaza, whether Hamas will disarm, and how Israel will secure its borders.
“I’m good at solving wars,” Trump said. “I’m good at making peace.”
According to Israeli officials and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), seven hostages were handed over to the Red Cross on Monday morning and are being transferred to Israeli military custody.
The hostages are among a group of 48 individuals whom Hamas agreed to release as part of the first phase of the deal, which also includes the freeing of 250 Palestinian prisoners and more than 1,700 detainees held by Israel.
Crowds gathered in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square erupted in cheers as confirmation of the release emerged. Families of the captives, some of whom have been held since the October 7, 2023, attacks, expressed cautious relief amid hopes that all surviving hostages will soon return home.
In Gaza, Red Cross vehicles were seen moving through the southern corridor under heavy security. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that its teams are “prepared to receive additional hostages who are expected to be transferred later today.”
The ceasefire, which took effect on Friday, October 10, has largely held, allowing for the first significant delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza in months. Israeli forces have reportedly begun a limited withdrawal from parts of the territory under the terms of the agreement.
U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Israel early Monday to mark what he described as “the beginning of the end of the war.” He is expected to attend a peace summit in Egypt later in the day, joined by around 20 world leaders to discuss the next phase of the deal, including Gaza’s reconstruction, governance, and security arrangements.
The agreement, while welcomed internationally, remains fragile. Key issues, such as the disarmament of Hamas, the return of displaced Gazans, and the long-term political control of the enclave, have yet to be resolved.
For now, however, the hostage handover represents a rare moment of progress after months of devastating conflict. As the Red Cross convoys continue their mission, families on both sides wait anxiously for a measure of closure and a glimpse of peace that has long seemed out of reach.
Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister had spoken with Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for hostages and missing persons, about preparations for their return. An Israeli official told Kan public broadcaster that the army expects the hostages to arrive before Monday morning.
“The IDF has completed its preparations for the release of the hostages and assesses that all of them will be released before Trump’s arrival,” the official said.
Media reports suggested that Hamas has told mediators it is prepared to release all 20 living hostages as early as Sunday, ahead of a Monday deadline under the ceasefire agreement, if Israel frees at least two of seven high-profile Palestinian prisoners previously removed from the release list. It is unclear whether Israel will accept the condition.
Under the ceasefire deal, Hamas will release 20 living and 28 deceased hostages held in Gaza since the war began on October 7, 2023. In exchange, Israel will free roughly 2,000 Palestinian detainees and allow increased humanitarian aid into the enclave, devastated by Israeli strikes.
While technology continues to offer numerous opportunities — from innovation and learning to improving productivity — it has also brought with it a wave of risks, especially for children who often lack the maturity to discern appropriate online content.
According to officials, these risks fall into four categories: information-related, contact-related, behaviour-related, and contractual.
Information-related risks include exposure to degrading or pornographic material, violent or hateful content, fake news, and content that promotes bad behaviour.
Contact-related risks involve child trafficking, harassment, hate speech, intimidation, sexual solicitation, and online grooming.
Behaviour-related risks include cyberbullying, receiving sexually explicit messages, sharing of nude or revenge images, public humiliation, impersonation, coercion, and gambling, among others.
Authorities warn that such exposure has serious psychological and moral effects on children. In response, Rwanda has introduced a new Child Online Protection Policy, adopted in September 2025, aimed at ensuring a safer digital environment for children.
The policy calls for close collaboration between government institutions and internet service providers to detect and block harmful content before it reaches children. It also provides for clear legal and regulatory frameworks enabling authorities to sanction platforms that fail to remove flagged material.
Additionally, the framework seeks to establish systems for monitoring online offenders in line with international standards.
To discourage the production and consumption of pornographic material, the policy introduces ethical guidelines for technology developers and service providers, requiring them to uphold Rwandan cultural values and prioritise children’s safety online.
It also seeks to ensure that minors do not access age-inappropriate content and that children’s data stored on devices or online platforms is adequately protected. The policy further encourages responsible advertising by requiring online marketing to be categorised according to age groups.
Service providers will be obliged to put in place mechanisms to identify and restrict content unsuitable for minors.
To strengthen accountability, the government plans to establish a toll-free hotline through which citizens can report harmful online content, seek assistance from experts, and request the removal or suspension of offending websites.
Children under 18 make up nearly half of Rwanda’s population. The government aims to make the internet accessible to all, while ensuring that young users are equipped with digital literacy and protection mechanisms.
The Child Online Protection Policy envisions an inclusive digital environment that safeguards children’s rights while promoting safe and responsible technology use.
The policy will be implemented over a five-year period with an estimated budget of Frw 1.52 billion.
Its implementation will involve multiple institutions, including the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of ICT and Innovation, Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), RURA, RISA, REB, the Rwanda National Police, and other partners.
