Ruhengeri Hospital to Relocate Services to Enhance Hygiene and Efficiency

Ruhengeri Hospital to Relocate Services to Enhance Hygiene and Efficiency

By Libos NDAYISHIMIYE

In a move aimed at improving hygiene and the quality of healthcare services, the Northern Province leadership has announced that certain departments of Ruhengeri Referral Hospital will soon be relocated to a better-equipped facility located behind Ubworoherane Stadium in Musanze District.

This was announced by the Governor of the Northern Province, Mugabowagahunde Maurice, during a press conference held on November 28, 2025, with journalists operating in the region.

He stated, “Before the end of December, some hospital services will be moved to the new site to address the recurring issues of poor hygiene and service delivery. We also plan to expand key facilities, including the morgue, which will increase its capacity from handling 4 to 20 bodies.”

For years, citizens and hospital users have expressed concerns about the poor sanitation at Ruhengeri Hospital, mainly due to a lack of proper waste and water management infrastructure. These issues have at times created health hazards for patients and staff alike.

Claudine Nyirambabazi, a frequent visitor at the hospital, shared, “At times, there’s a terrible smell from wastewater pooling outside. If the relocation and expansion happen as planned, we expect a big improvement.”

Jean Pierre Nkurunziza, another resident of Musanze, added, “The congestion in some departments leads to delays in accessing care. Expanding the hospital facilities will help decongest services and improve efficiency.”

Ruhengeri Referral Hospital, which has been operating for over 80 years since the 1940s, serves between 250 to 300 patients daily, with a catchment area that extends beyond the Northern and Western provinces to neighboring countries such as Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The planned relocation and infrastructure upgrade are expected to bring lasting solutions to longstanding challenges at the hospital and reinforce the government’s commitment to delivering quality and dignified healthcare to all Rwandans.