Rwanda’s Ministry of Health has proposed a budget of more than Rwf333.5 billion for the 2025–2026 fiscal year, with a strong focus on modernizing the country’s healthcare system, including the introduction of nuclear medicine.
Health Minister Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana presented the figures Tuesday to the Parliamentary Committee on National Budget and Patrimony, noting that the Ministry and its affiliated institutions will require Rwf333,558,981,729 to fund operations and planned health infrastructure projects.
The budget is expected to rise in the coming years, reaching Rwf361.1 billion in 2026–2027 and maintaining similar levels in 2027–2028. Among the key allocations for the 2025–2026 fiscal year is Rwf16.5 billion earmarked for purchasing essential medical equipment.
Nsanzimana said part of the increase in funding is due to plans to import sophisticated diagnostic machines as Rwanda prepares to launch nuclear-based medical services.
“This year, we will begin using PET scan technology, which will enable more accurate diagnoses for complex conditions such as cancer, heart disease, brain disorders, and neurological illnesses,” he said.
The PET scan, or Positron Emission Tomography, involves injecting patients with radioactive tracers that detect abnormalities not visible through conventional imaging, Nsanzimana added.
Members of Parliament questioned the Ministry on the state of aging hospitals across the country and whether the proposed budget includes resources to renovate them.
MP Speciose Mukandanga inquired specifically about the maternity wing at Kibagabaga Hospital, asking whether rehabilitation work had resumed.
“We saw an allocation in the budget and wanted to confirm whether the renovations are underway to raise the facility to acceptable standards,” Mukandanga said.
Nsanzimana assured lawmakers that renovations are planned for several hospitals, including Ruhengeri, Gisenyi and Gicumbi. These hospitals are expected to be upgraded to teaching-level institutions, similar to King Faisal Hospital and the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK).
According to the proposed development plan, the renovation of Ruhengeri Hospital is expected to cost Rwf111.1 billion and will be completed by 2028. Construction of the new Muhororo District Hospital is projected at Rwf67.7 billion.
“These investments are part of our long-term strategy to build a resilient and technologically advanced healthcare system for all Rwandans,” Nsanzimana said.
