HEALTH IN FOCUS 🇷🇼 | Ten Years of Zipline in Rwanda What if life-saving blood could reach a hospital in minutes instead of hours? Ten years ago, Rwanda became the first country where Zipline launched its life-saving drone delivery service, marking a major milestone in the use of technology to address healthcare delivery challenges. Today, after millions of deliveries, the story is about more than drones. It is about mothers whose lives depend on timely access to blood during childbirth, children receiving vaccines, and health facilities gaining faster access to essential medicines and medical supplies. Key impacts from Zipline’s decade in Rwanda: 1️⃣Faster blood delivery: Dr. Samuel Niyitegeka, Director of Nursing at Nemba Hospital, explains that the time needed to receive blood has decreased from more than two hours to approximately 40 minutes. 2️⃣ Expanded access to medical supplies: Zipline delivers vaccines, medicines and other essential medical products to health facilities. 3️⃣ Childhood vaccination: Rwanda has recorded 94% childhood vaccination coverage, highlighting progress in protecting children against vaccine-preventable diseases. 4️⃣Improved maternal health outcomes: Research reports a 51% reduction in maternal mortality associated with Zipline’s service, highlighting the potential impact of timely access to life-saving medical supplies. Rwanda’s experience demonstrates how technology can address real healthcare challenges and bring essential medical supplies closer to the people who need them. The lesson is clear: technology matters most when it reaches the people who need it, when they need it most. @ZiplineRwanda @zipline @MrKayitana @Keller @MeetTheCaitlin @mnls_nke @WHORwanda @Rwanda_Edu @RwandaInfra @Imbuto @RwandaSouth @CityofKigali @unicefrw @Rwanda_Child @HDIRwanda @Sfrwanda1 @cooperation_lu @UNDP_Rwanda @ughe_org @GermanyinRwanda #HealthInFocus #Rwanda #Zipline #DigitalHealth #HealthInnovation

HEALTH IN FOCUS 🇷🇼 | Strengthening Rwanda’s health workforce and infrastructure Improving maternal and child health requires more than access to health facilities. It also depends on having enough skilled professionals, specialized services and well-equipped hospitals capable of managing complications. Rwanda is investing in these foundations through the 4×4 Health Workforce Development Reform, launched to quadruple the production of health professionals within four years. By December 2025, more than 16,360 new health-professional students had enrolled. Residency programmes expanded from 17 to 24, while fellowship training grew from 8 to 25 subspecialties. These investments are also strengthening specialized care for women. Rwanda has developed local specialist capacity in Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, alongside expanded training programmes in midwifery and nursing. Health infrastructure is another important part of this effort. The Government continues to invest in the expansion and renovation of hospitals, including Masaka, King Faisal, Ruhengeri, Muhororo and Kabgayi, as highlighted in the Prime Minister’s report at the 20th National Umushyikirano. These investments matter because preventing maternal and child deaths requires timely access to skilled health workers, emergency obstetric and newborn care, specialized treatment and reliable referral systems. As Rwanda continues to strengthen its health system, sustained investment in people, facilities and quality of care remains essential to protecting mothers and giving children a healthier start in life. #HealthInFocus #HealthWorkforce #MaternalHealth #ChildHealth