Starting July 1, 2025, new medical tariffs will be implemented across health facilities, consistent with the start of the 2025/2026 fiscal year.
Nsanzimana will vary depending on the type of facility, without providing new time.
Also Read: 5 Things You Need to Know About Rwanda’s Modified Medical Fees
Christian Nutakirtimana, executive director of the Rwanda Private Health Facilities Association (RPMFA), highlighted the need for a comprehensive and transparent review of medical tariffs to reflect current healthcare development and associated costs.
He said the lack of official communication regarding when the revised tariffs will be announced and when they will become effective has made it difficult for stakeholders to plan effectively.
Ntakirutimana noted that the current tariffs have been in use for eight years despite repeated promises of unrealized updates. He highlighted the urgency to announce new tariffs and warned that ongoing delays are causing serious financial burdens for private health care providers.
Also Read: Private healthcare organizations sues for medical tariff review
Due to outdated tariffs that do not take into account inflation and increased equipment, medication and personnel salaries, many private facilities have to rely on bank loans and are now facing increased debt, Ntakirutimana said.
“This delay forces private health facilities to live at a loss,” he said, indicating that public agencies must cover rent, staff salaries and equipment purchases without government subsidies received.”
Ntakirutimana has sought to establish an effective, regular review mechanism to ensure tariffs are adjusted in line with economic realities, helping to protect private providers from financial instability.
In response, Nsanzimana said, “Taxes will be revised every two years.” He said this was a reform aimed at addressing concerns about private health facilities.
Also Read: Modified Medical Taxes to be implemented in July
Regarding increased costs related to healthcare delivery, RPMFA data shows, for example, that the average salary for senior specialist physicians was 1.5 million RWF1.5 million in 2017, but doubled to RWF3 million in 2023, and that for registered nurses increased by 40% from RWF250,000 to RWF350,000.
Minicap Hemoglobin (one kit) saw prices triple or more from RWF600,000 in 2023, meaning a double or more increase. Minicap hemoglobin is designed to examine the hemoglobin found in red blood cells, which are responsible for carrying oxygen from the lungs to tissues and organs.
Other devices with increased prices include Minividas Immuno Analyzer (full-automated) – used for analysis of antibodies and antigens in blood samples – rose from RWF11 million in 2017 to RWF15 million in 2023.
Also Read: Private healthcare organizations on why setting up new medical tariffs is an urgent issue
On January 17th, the Cabinet approved a revision of health service fees. This is the first update since 2017.
The Ministry of Health said that outdated prices no longer match the actual costs of health services given the government’s investment in modern medical devices and infrastructure, as well as rising prices for drugs among other medical products.
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In public facilities, prices for advanced services such as medical imaging and radiology have declined in line with the revision of tariffs.
For example, the ministry showed that the cost of a CT brain scan under community-based health insurance (CBHI), also known as Mutuelle de Santé, fell from RWF45,000 to RWF16,283.
CBHI members currently pay a joint payment of RWF 4,500 to 10% RWF 1,628.
CBHI is Rwanda’s most widely used health insurance scheme, covering 93% of the over 11.5 million insured individuals.
