{"id":113448,"date":"2025-10-19T17:36:21","date_gmt":"2025-10-19T17:36:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/bufmar-celebrates-50-years-supporting-rwandas-health"},"modified":"2025-10-19T18:45:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-19T18:45:13","slug":"bufmar-celebrates-50-years-supporting-rwandas-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/bufmar-celebrates-50-years-supporting-rwandas-health","title":{"rendered":"Bufmar Celebrates 50 Years Supporting Rwanda’s Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>BUFMAR, a joint faith-based and non-profit organisation, on October 17, celebrated 50 years of positive impact in Rwanda\u2019s healthcare system.<\/p>\n

The Golden Jubilee celebration that took place at Kigali Marriott Hotel provided a platform to reflect on BUFMAR\u2019s journey, celebrate its achievements, reaffirm its mission, and outline a renewed vision for continued collaboration with the Government, international partners, and member churches.<\/p>\n

Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, Minister of Health, and Archbishop Antoine Cardinal Kambanda pose with BUFMAR officials for a group photo during the 50th Golden Jubilee celebration on October 17. Photos by Craish Bahizi.<\/p>\n

The organisation was founded by Christian denominations working in Rwanda who are active in the health sector, and play a pivotal role in healthcare delivery through pharmaceutical supply and capacity-building.<\/p>\n

Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, the Minister of Health, commended the Authorized Medical Training Center’s (BUFMAR) role in the health sector, particularly for its contribution to the increase in life expectancy.<\/p>\n

\u201cLife expectancy used to be 45 years, but now it stands at an average of 70… pic.twitter.com\/Y7D2cBpG4v<\/p>\n

\u2014 The New Times (Rwanda) (@NewTimesRwanda) October 17, 2025<\/p>\n

Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, Minister of Health, commended BUFMAR\u2019s role in the health sector, particularly in contributing to the increase in life expectancy for the past five decades.<\/p>\n

Officials gather to cut the cake during the 50th Golden Jubilee celebration at Kigali Marriott Hotel on October 17.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore BUFMAR\u2019s inception, life expectancy used to be 45 years, but now it stands at an average of 70 years and above. Moving from 45 to 70 means that mothers are no longer dying while giving birth, and children are no longer dying prematurely because they now have access to essential health services. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to highlight the progress in life expectancy,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n

Dr Nsanzimana highlighted that in 2000, approximately 1,000 mothers out of every 100,000 were dying during childbirth. Currently, in Rwanda, about 500,000 mothers give birth every year, which equals the number of children born. Today, that number has dropped to 105 deaths per 100,000 births.<\/p>\n

Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, Minister of Health, delivers his remarks during the 50th Golden Jubilee celebration at Kigali Marriott Hotel on October 17. Photos by Craish Bahizi<\/p>\n

This progress wouldn\u2019t have been possible without the contribution of partners like BUFMAR,\u201d he said. \u201cOur goal for 2028 is to reduce the number to between 50 and 70. If we can bring it below 100, that means the remaining cases are special ones that can be managed through our ongoing 4×4 programme, which aims to equip doctors with modern, cost-effective equipment and affordable medicine accessible to everyone. That\u2019s where your role comes in and that is to help us further reduce those numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Within the national health supply chain, BUFMAR functions under a partnership framework with the Ministry of Health (MoH) through Rwanda Medical Supply Ltd (RMS), making it one of the three national actors officially designated to procure and distribute essential and specialised medical products to the public hospitals and health centres across the country.<\/p>\n

Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, Minister of Health, and BUFMAR\u2019s Board of Directors cut a cake to celebrate the Golden Jubilee, marking 50 years of impactful service in #Rwanda\u2019s medical supply chain.<\/p>\n

BUFMAR unites 23 faith-based Christian member churches that support a network of 163… pic.twitter.com\/VR4iFyxQNd<\/p>\n

\u2014 The New Times (Rwanda) (@NewTimesRwanda) October 17, 2025<\/p>\n

It unites 23 faith-based Christian member churches that support a network of 163 health facilities across the country, including 18 hospitals and 145 health centres, which have been at the forefront of providing medical equipment, consumables, pharmaceuticals, and official medical preparations.<\/p>\n

They also offer a variety of training courses, including first aid training, basic life support (BLS) training, advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) training and emergency medical technician (EMT).<\/p>\n

The Minister tasked the organisation to continue being at the forefront of health service delivery by ensuring timely and cost-effective operations. He emphasized that BUFMAR\u2019s core values should go beyond distribution to saving lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want more collaboration with other medical supply stores and to do more than what is expected. Five African countries have already requested partnerships with Rwanda for medicine distribution. Most of these countries lack adequate medical stores and suppliers. As BUFMAR, should we only supply within Rwanda, or can we expand beyond? Let\u2019s consider it, as it would make Rwanda more reliable and part of regional health solutions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can produce our own medicines and supply them both within Rwanda and beyond through local manufacturing. This has already begun. The best example being our locally produced syringes in Rwamagana District by TKMD Rwanda, which are now distributed in over 14 African countries. That\u2019s a big achievement and proves it\u2019s possible. We shouldn\u2019t continue relying on imports, as we also need to preserve foreign currency, which impacts our economy,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Cardinal Antoine Kambanda, Archbishop of #Kigali and a board member of BUFMAR, said that 50 years holds great significance for both the beneficiaries and the founders.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery person must have a healthy soul in a healthy body. To our fellow believers, we wish good health and… pic.twitter.com\/2y0lHH2ZBL<\/p>\n

\u2014 The New Times (Rwanda) (@NewTimesRwanda) October 17, 2025<\/p>\n

H.E Antoine Cardinal Kambanda Archbishop of Kigali, said that 50 years holds great significance for both the beneficiaries and the founders.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery person must have a healthy soul in a healthy body. To our fellow believers, we wish good health and spiritual well-being. We take inspiration from Jesus the Messiah, who preached the good news while also healing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an inter-church organisation, meaning that almost all churches have been working together for 50 years to ensure that people receive medical care, get medicines on time and at affordable prices, and that health workers have the necessary equipment and other support. It\u2019s something to celebrate\u2014that churches have contributed to health services for such a long time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Archbishop Antoine Cardinal Kambanda speaks at the 50th Golden Jubilee celebration held at Kigali Marriott Hotel on October 17. Photos by Craish Bahizi.<\/p>\n

The Archbishop of Kigali said that while the organisation is celebrating its jubilee, it still faces challenges such as the need for hospital consolidation and strengthening its capacity in medical distribution, issues that the Ministry of Health should address.<\/p>\n

Monique Gahongayire, Director General of BUFMAR, said that they serve not only church members but all Rwandans. She added that they celebrate the unity among churches, emphasizing that instead of focusing on differences, they chose to work together to achieve common goals.<\/p>\n

Gahongayire noted that the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi marked a turning point when everything fell apart. Afterwards, BUFMAR redefined its mission to align with the country\u2019s health reconstruction and development goals.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe main challenge we currently face is importing products because we do not manufacture what we distribute ourselves. As advised, we are now looking for ways to collaborate with different institutions to establish factories that can produce some of the items we currently import. In the next five or ten years, we might be celebrating that milestone,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She ended her speech by thanking HE First Lady Jeannette Kagame for her support and wishes sent to the BUFMAR family.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\r\n