Rwanda Site Profile
How Rwanda's investment in resilient, digitally enabled health systems is helping build the evidence base for vaccine safety across Africa.
Why Rwanda Matters
Overview
Rwanda has built a strong reputation for investing in resilient health systems, digital health innovation, and evidence-informed public health decision-making. As new vaccines are developed for epidemic-prone diseases, high-quality vaccine safety data is essential to maintaining public confidence and support timely regulatory decisions. Through BRAVE, Rwanda is helping generate the background rates of Adverse Events of Special Interest (AESIs) needed to accurately interpret vaccine safety signals before and during future vaccine introductions and public health emergencies.
By May 2026:
- Data collection processes had been embedded within routine healthcare delivery
- Local teams had strengthened expertise in surveillance, data quality, and vaccine safety monitoring
Site Lead
About Eagle Research Centre
Located in Kigali, Rwanda, Eagle Research Centre (ERC) is a research institution with extensive experience in advocacy, health research, international collaborations, and the implementation of large multinational clinical trials. ERC provides scientific and operational leadership for BRAVE activities in Rwanda, coordinating data collection across University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK) and Kibagabaga Hospital.
Working closely with healthcare providers and BRAVE partners across Africa, ERC is strengthening Rwanda's capacity to generate high-quality real-world evidence that supports vaccine safety monitoring, strengthens surveillance systems, and informs public health decision-making.
- University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK) Kigali, Rwanda
- Kibagabaga Hospital Kigali, Rwanda
“Quality data is the foundation for good health care and better planning for strengthening health care systems. The Eagle Research Center maintains quality data because of great collaboration with health care facilities.”
At A Glance
Rwanda Site Profile Snapshot
Additional Info
Additional Information
Rather than creating parallel systems, BRAVE activities are integrated into routine clinical workflows within participating hospitals. This approach strengthens existing health systems while generating high-quality data that can support future vaccine safety assessments.
By June 2026
- Local teams had strengthened expertise in surveillance, data quality, and vaccine safety monitoring.
Capacity Strengthening in Action
BRAVE is supporting:
- Clinical workforce development
- Data management and quality systems
- Multi-site health surveillance coordination
- Vaccine safety monitoring expertise
- Research and implementation science capability
- Cross-country learning across the BRAVE network
A Network of Strategic Partnerships
In Rwanda, BRAVE is delivered through a partnership between Eagle Research Centre, CHUK, Kibagabaga Hospital, and international BRAVE collaborators, with a shared focus on strengthening vaccine safety surveillance through CHUK and Kibagabaga Hospital, the project generates high-quality evidence from routine healthcare settings while strengthening local surveillance systems and research capacity.
As part of the wider BRAVE network, the ERC collaborates with leading institutions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, contributing to a coordinated African approach to vaccine safety preparedness and evidence generation for future public health emergencies.
Looking Ahead
Building sustainable vaccine safety systems requires long-term investment in people, partnerships, infrastructure, and data systems. Rwanda's contribution to BRAVE demonstrates how strong national research institutions and healthcare facilities can generate high-quality evidence while strengthening health system preparedness.
The partnerships being developed through BRAVE will continue to support vaccine safety assessment, decision-making, and public confidence in immunisation programmes beyond individual outbreaks.
