New software helps ambulance crews and hospitals in Rwanda coordinate faster and better care for emergency patients.
New software technology will help to save lives in Rwanda and beyond
New ambulance technology developed in Rwanda by University of Birmingham experts working with a local software company could save nearly one million lives.
Rwanda Build Program (RWBuild) worked with local and international partners to develop the 912Rwanda software. The new software helps ambulance crews and hospitals coordinate faster care for emergency patients by automatically recommending the nearest available facility which can provide the care that the patient needs.
The innovative software could reduce serious disabilities for an estimated 250 million people who suffer injuries each year in Low- and Middle-income Countries (LMICs). It will also reduce deaths and disability from emergency medical conditions, like post-partum hemorrhage, sepsis, malaria, heart attacks, or strokes – conditions which cause around 50% of deaths in LMICs.
In emergency care, minutes saved equals lives saved, but it is not just about getting patients to any care quickly, patients need to get to the care which is right for them. The readiness of our programme also comes at a time when policy makers in Rwanda recognise that the numbers of people dying after injuries is more than what it should be and that ambulance services need to be more efficient.
The project is backed by more than £3 million funding from the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), Research on Interventions for Global Health Transformation (RIGHT) programme and nearly $1 million from the United States National Institute of Health.
The initial phase of the software which prioritises ambulance deployment based on basic data collected by dispatchers is already operational in Kigali. It has been used for over 20,000 journeys, allowing ambulance teams to locate patients quickly in areas where smartphone penetration and triangulation off cell phone masts is not possible.
The new – second phase - software launched today introduces novel triage software which incorporates a Destination Decision Support Algorithm (DDSA). This DDSA enables ambulance crews to capture simple patient information and uses that information to recommend the nearest suitable healthcare facility to treat that patient. This is especially critical for patients with life-threatening conditions, who must reach treatment within one hour of symptom onset.
Justine Davies, Professor of Global Health Research at the University of Birmingham, and co-Principle Investigator of the NIHR funded project, commented: “Each one of these phases - finding the patient and then finding the right facility for that patient - is likely to dramatically reduce the time it takes for emergency patients to get to the treatment that they need at a hospital.
“In emergency care, minutes saved equals lives saved, but it is not just about getting patients to any care quickly, patients need to get to the care which is right for them. The readiness of our programme also comes at a time when policy makers in Rwanda recognise that the numbers of people dying after injuries is more than what it should be and that ambulance services need to be more efficient.
“Our collaborative efforts are setting new benchmarks in healthcare technology; the success of this project comes from the strength of all the partners dedication and the support of the SAMU division within the Ministry of Health and Rwanda Biomedical Center.”
912Rwanda is more than a local success story. Designed and built in Kigali for Rwanda’s Ministry of Health, it proves that advanced, life-saving technology can be developed in Africa, by Africans, for the world. Its Kigali-born DDSA logic—tailored for low- and middle-income countries—has the potential to save millions of lives globally.
While high-income countries have developed sophisticated ambulance systems to reduce the delay in getting patients to appropriate healthcare facilities, LMICs often lack the financial and training resources to implement similarly complex solutions.
912Rwanda is both accurate and easy to use - tailored to the realities of emergency healthcare in LMICs. Rwanda’s ambulance services have previously relied on multiple phone calls between patients, dispatchers, ambulance teams, and hospitals. This system often led to delays of up to 30 minutes and frequent miscommunications. The 912Rwanda software eliminates these inefficiencies by enabling real-time digital communication between dispatch, ambulances, and healthcare facilities.
Rob Rickard, Director of Rwanda Build Program, commented: "Incorporating the DDSA into 912Rwanda introduces a pivotal shift towards more precise and time-efficient emergency responses ensuring a decision of the nearest appropriate facility is instant and accurate.
“When an expectant mother in Kigali collapses at home and needs medical help, the SAMU division of MOH uses the 912Rwanda dispatch software to locate her instantly. Within minutes, a SAMU ambulance is deployed. Now with the DDSA update to 912Rwanda, SAMU can ensure she reaches the best hospital for her needs, and real-time data sent to the hospital before arrival, ensure quality care is waiting for her when she arrives.
“912Rwanda is more than a local success story. Designed and built in Kigali for Rwanda’s Ministry of Health, it proves that advanced, life-saving technology can be developed in Africa, by Africans, for the world. Its Kigali-born DDSA logic—tailored for low- and middle-income countries—has the potential to save millions of lives globally.”
Jean Claude Byiringiro, Associate Professor of Surgery and Former Dean of the School of Medicine and Pharmacy at University of Rwanda commented: “We believe that the programme can make a significant impact in Rwanda, reducing the time it takes to get injured patients to hospital. Importantly, the project could play a key role in developing similar solutions in countries facing the same sort of problems.”
Researchers from the Universities of Birmingham, Rwanda, and Utah are working with the Rwandan Ministry of Health, RWBuild, and academic partners at the Universities of Global Health Equity, York, and Aberdeen to develop, deploy, and evaluate the 912Rwanda system.
Professor Sudha Jayaraman, Principal Investigator of the NIHR funded first phase of the project and Director of the Center for Global Surgery at University of Utah commented: "The 912Rwanda software and project has already had phenomenal success due to buy-in from the very highest leaders in the government of Rwanda as they look to transform their country into a leading power in the region and envision this work being an important part of that future.
“We are privileged and excited to partner with the leadership of Division of Emergency Medical Services, Dr Nepo Sindikubwabo and Mrs Jeanne d’Arc Nyinawankusi, as they create an international role model for such systems."
For more information, please contact the Press Office at the University of Birmingham on +44 (0)121 414 2772
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Every year in Rwanda, injury causes 9% of deaths with 47% of these occurring before patients can reach hospital.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)
The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. We do this by:
NIHR is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. The NIHR Global Health Research portfolio supports high-quality applied health research for the direct and primary benefit of people in LMICs, using international development funding from the UK Government.
Professor of Global Health Research
Staff profile for Justine Davies, Professor of Global Health, Department of Applied Health Sciences
