LEGEND
THEOPHILA
HURIRO UWACU
Director of E-Heza Digital Health Record The Ihangane Project
E-Heza ”, roughly translates as “ a bright future ” from Kinyarwanda , the official language of Rwanda . It is also the name of the country ’ s first electronic health record system , established in 2018 .
Theophila Huriro Uwacu oversaw the development of E-Heza and its expansion to 27 health centres . An advocate for the power of accurate data , E-Heza is a clear example of how collecting and analysing data can improve patient outcomes . Delivered by the non-profit The Ihangane Project ( TIP ) and with backing from the Johnson & Johnson Global Foundation , it has effectively revolutionised the country ' s once-fragmented health system , offering an integrated patient record with both hospital systems and the government ' s health information reporting platform . Since its inception , the Ruli region of northern Rwanda has seen a 60 % drop in malnutrition , and the elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission .
When the pandemic arrived in Rwanda , Uwacu supervised the speedy implementation of E-Heza ’ s Acute Illness Assessment & Management system , aimed at community health workers as well as nurses in health centres . This has enabled healthcare workers in rural areas to enter screening information , and quickly isolate individuals suspected to have the virus . Rwanda ’ s overall COVID-19 response is regarded as an international success story .
Uwacu has a Bachelor ’ s Engineering degree in Statistics applied to Economy , as well as a Master ' s in Project Management . After graduating she helped carry out a comprehensive needs assessment of a community-based nutritional programme in Ruli . She joined Kinihira Provincial Hospital shortly after it was established in 2013 , as Clinical Data Manager . The role saw her helping the hospital ' s planning , by supervising its catchment area using a variety of reporting tools , including the Ministry of Health ' s system .
It was undoubtedly a valuable experience for her next step : joining TIP , where she designed data tools , methodologies for collection , and devised training to ensure bias-free , accurate data collection . After a year overseeing the implementation of E-Heza , she became its Director in 2019 .
Uwacu is also a regular speaker at public events , and has appeared on panels to promote entrepreneurship among Rwandan youth
20 June 2021