In marking World Diabetes Week, Rwanda Diabetes Association (RDA) will offer a free AI-driven eye screening on Friday, November 15, at Biryogo Car Free Zone in Nyamirambo to prevent diabetic retinopathy, a sight-threatening condition that affects nearly one in three people with diabetes.
In line with this year’s theme, "Breaking barriers, bridging gaps,” the screening, which is available daily at RDA offices, plays a crucial role in addressing healthcare access gaps in diabetes care across the country.
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Dr. Ciku Mathenge, a medical retina specialist and co-founder of Rwanda International Institute of Ophthalmology (RIIO), noted that diabetic retinopathy can lead to vision loss and blindness if left untreated.
"Sight loss is one of the greatest fears for people with diabetes yet it’s preventable with early detection. However, to detect the disease early, timely screenings are essential,” she said.
Mathenge stressed that in Rwanda, where about 5% of the population lives with diabetes, approximately 30% are affected by diabetic retinopathy.
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"With the country’s limited number of eye specialists, especially in rural areas, many diabetic patients often delay seeking care until the disease has reached an advanced stage, making treatment more difficult and less effective.”
Dr. Mathenge pointed out that, with the right technology, early intervention is possible and can reduce the risk of blindness.
To tackle these challenges, RIIO rolled out an innovative solution – an AI-powered system that captures high-resolution images of the retina using specialised cameras, with AI technology analysing these images to detect early signs of diabetic retinopathy.
This system can provide immediate results, allowing patients to know whether they need to consult a specialist or if their retina is normal, she noted.
"This technology enables screening even in remote areas, overcoming the barriers posed by distance and lack of specialised healthcare providers. By decentralising the screening process, we can ensure that more people are screened quickly and accurately,” Dr. Mathenge explained.
She said that to make the technology widely accessible, the Rwanda Diabetes Association (RDA) clinic, Rwanda Military Hospital, Frontier Hospital, and Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) tent during car-free days now offer screenings. The services are also provided without any additional charges to patients, ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent anyone from accessing the service.
Dr. Mathenge also highlighted the benefits of AI screening, including faster results and reduced strain on healthcare providers.
"With AI, more people can be screened in a shorter time, especially in underserved regions. It also allows healthcare professionals to focus on more complex cases, improving the overall efficiency of the healthcare system,” she noted.
In addition to training nurses at RDA to operate the imaging cameras, RIIO is planning further workshops to expand training to more healthcare workers. This widespread training ensures that AI screening will become an integral part of diabetic care nationwide, improving diagnosis and long-term patient outcomes,” Dr. Mathenge said.
According to Innocent Habimana, the Eye Health Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator at RBC, the pilot programme for AI-based retinal screening is still in its early stages. However, plans are in place to expand the service across the country.
"We are preparing to train more health workers and acquire additional AI-enabled imaging cameras. These will be strategically distributed to areas with higher rates of diabetes, and we are exploring ways to integrate these screenings into the Community-Based Health Insurance (Mutuelle de Santé) system, to make them accessible to more people,” Habimana said.