The Ministry of Health has launched a technology known as Telemedicine, which uses artificial intelligence to help a doctor at a given hospital collaborate with specialists who are not physically present in providing medical services, particularly aimed at reducing infant deaths at birth and maternal deaths during childbirth.
This technology was launched at Nemba Hospital in Gakenke District, allowing a doctor at a given hospital to work with a specialist based at the MINISANTE headquarters when advanced medical care is needed, care that would normally require the patient to be sent to another hospital, known as a transfer.
During the launch of this technology, a doctor at this hospital was attending to pregnant mothers while working with a specialist based at MINISANTE, who explained to him how to care for the mothers.
Dr. Uwacu Mudusa Ghislain, of Nemba Hospital, said: “I wear a camera, but the camera has AI [artificial intelligence] capability, so that I can give it commands for what I want it to do, and it does it.”
He continued: “It is a camera that connects me with the specialist doctor based at the Ministry of Health, so they can help me while I am treating a patient.”
This doctor said the technology will reduce the number of patients transferred to higher-level hospitals, since this system will make the services that previously required a transfer available digitally.
He said: “What it will help us solve is reducing the transfers from District Hospitals to Kigali in search of specialists. Another important thing is reducing maternal and child deaths, babies who die at birth, or mothers who die while giving birth.”
This technology, launched at Nemba Hospital, will also be extended to 10 other hospitals known to have high numbers of maternal and infant deaths at birth.
Ntakirutimana Jeannine, who gave birth at this hospital, said she came in with a complication where the baby she was carrying was about to be born prematurely, but thanks to this technology, doctors were able to help her, and she delivered safely.
She said: “I came in with a problem, the baby wanted to come before its time. They helped me while I was in labor pain, they consulted with the specialist, and in the end they found a way to help me, and I gave birth.”
Her fellow patient, Ingabire Josiane, said she too was experiencing labor pain and was given initial care.
She said: “It wasn’t enough, given the condition I had, so they were able to consult with the specialist using the technology.”
These residents say this technology has increased their trust in the health system, because when a specialist is involved in their treatment, they feel confident about the care they will receive.
Dr. Mbonyitwari Donatien, Director General of Nemba Hospital, said that thanks to this technology, the number of mothers coming to the hospital has increased.
He said: “We are now reaching between 270 and 300 mothers [per month], which you can see is a significant increase. Another thing this will help us with is reducing maternal deaths, because Nemba used to be among the hospitals that recorded maternal and infant deaths.”
Rwanda is one of the leading countries in adopting modern technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence, as the Government recently approved the establishment of the National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Agency, which is expected to advance this technology with a focus on transforming operations within government institutions.
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