The Ministry of Health (MoH), in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), awarded three teams for developing telehealth digital tools aimed at enabling safe abortion services at the health centre level. The hackathon, held from July 31 to August 9, brought together young innovators, designers, and developers to develop a home-grown telehealth solution for secure communication between healthcare providers in health centres and district hospitals. The initiative is supporting Rwanda’s efforts to enhance access to, and quality of maternal health services, as well as digitalisation of the healthcare system. ALSO READ: UNFPA supports the use of data for maternal, and child health improvement The first-place team, ETITE, was awarded $8,000, while Ikaze Health and Ubuzima Netlinks received $4,500 and $2,000 respectively. The teams will now work together to finalise the tool to be ready for use. According to the judges, the winning team's tool stood out for its user-friendliness, potential to integrate with the Ministry of Health’s existing digital systems, and the team’s evident passion and effective communication. Reponse Ashimwe, member of the first winning team, highlighted their solution’s ability to develop a nearly complete system in a short time. Their tool addresses the challenge of providing eligible, safe abortion services in rural areas by enabling teleconsultations. She said this allows health centre nurses to receive real-time assistance from district hospital doctors via secure video calls, messages, and prescriptions ensuring that patients get the necessary care without waiting for transfers. ALSO READ: Elevating midwifery: A transformative journey to reach zero preventable maternal deaths in Rwanda Regarding data protection, Ashimwe said the tool features robust data protection through a cloud-based system, encryption, and strong file management, ensuring that users can only access the data assigned to them, and patient files are safely secured. A hackathon is not just about coding or technical skills. It's about harnessing the power of teamwork, leveraging diverse skill sets, and applying knowledge to create meaningful solutions. Reflecting on her hackathon experience, she said: “It was my first time participating. We all needed strong commitment and focus, and we received valuable feedback. I encourage everyone to join hackathons and apply their skills to create solutions that genuinely address people’s problems. I learned that to develop a truly unique system.” Jean Bosco Mugiraneza, also a member of the winning team, said the solution has a major impact by eliminating the need to travel to district hospitals. Through telehealth, if a doctor at a district hospital is unavailable, patients can connect with doctors from other locations, saving time and consequently saving lives. He added that this system allows patients to receive necessary services at a nearby health centre without needing transport, benefiting those with serious or difficult conditions. Dr Renata Tallarico, Deputy Representative of UNFPA, acknowledged the progress made by the Ministry of Health and the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) in enhancing maternal health services in Rwanda while opening the hackathon. She added, “However, as this is an ongoing journey, there are still some challenges to face; We need to ensure that everyone lacking access to services can receive them. We are actively working to address the existing inequities to ensure everyone can access the services they need. During the conclusion of the hackathon, Tallarico noted UNFPA’s vision of empowering youth to reach their full potential, beyond just Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). While SRHR is important, its goal is to provide opportunities for young people to participate, lead, and hold leaders, communities, and peers accountable. Dr Yvan Butera, Minister of State for Health, said that digitalization and digital solutions are among the top five priorities for the health sector. He noted that the winning solution aims to address three key issues: improving access to essential community services, reducing the time needed to receive medical or nursing assistance, and providing real-time data. Butera said this approach allows the Ministry of Health to monitor and evaluate progress without relying solely on post-mortem assessments. “Septic abortion is one of the leading causes of maternal death in the country. Addressing this issue could save many lives. Additionally, unwanted pregnancies are also a big issue in the country.” “This solution will impact not only health but also the development of the country. By advancing these solutions, you are influencing communities and, to some extent, contributing to the well-being of the country and the broader global community,” he said.
