The Minister for Health, Dr Agnes Binagwaho, has urged Ruhengeri Hospital personnel to work hard so that the hospital is upgraded to a referral status.

The minister made the call last Friday after touring the hospital.

The visit aimed at enlightening health personnel on what it takes to be designated as a referral hospital.She said while the entire process takes not less than six years, the hospital needs to do more to change the working system.

She added that the government had put more efforts in training health specialists to serve in all the provinces.Binagwaho challenged the hospital to make good use of the specialists.

"The hospital has to use the specialists on difficult cases and carry out better supervision. They need to supervise health centres to educate the staff on better treatment and the need to refer cases in time to save lives,” she said.

"A portion of the hospital will be brought down and a new building will be erected. Another part of the hospital will be renovated so that we have a full functioning referral hospital,” she added.

Dr Deo Ndekezi, the hospital director said they still need more staff and modern facilities to deliver well as a referral hospital.

He added that while the hospital has got more specialists, it still lacks scanners and other modern equipment.

In reaction, Binagwaho said the hospital will soon get scanners after the other designated hospitals such as Kibungo and Kibuye have got them since Ruhengeri is not far from Kigali hospitals where the patients can be referred.

She also urged the hospital administrators to deliver better services and generate money to complement government budget.

"If you offer good customer care, people will love coming to see doctors here instead of going to Kigali,” she said.