Abstract / Summary
Prehospital care is essential for improving outcomes among road traffic injury victims. In low- and middle-income countries such as Rwanda, prehospital healthcare providers often face contextual barriers that may hinder timely and effective care, while certain facilitators may support service delivery. This study aimed to explore the facilitators and barriers influencing prehospital care delivery post road traffic crashes in Rwanda. A descriptive qualitative study was conducted among 20 purposively selected prehospital healthcare providers from Service d’Aide Médicale d’Urgence, the Rwanda Red Cross, and Ruhengeri Level II Teaching Hospital. These settings represent urban and rural settings in Rwanda. Data were collected through face-to-face, in-depth interviews using a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were conducted between December 2025 and January 2026. Hybrid deductive–inductive thematic analysis was use during analysis. ATLAS.ti version 24 supported data management and coding. Facilitators included provider experience and motivation, in-service training, digital communication and triage tools, police officers’ collaboration, adequate medical supplies, supportive leadership, and community assistance. Barriers included traffic congestion, staffing shortages, limited training opportunities, inadequate equipment, ambulance scarcity, insufficient hospital bed capacity, communication challenges, limited public awareness of emergency access, and weak coordination between ambulance services and hospitals. Overall, the findings suggest that Rwanda’s prehospital care system has important foundations but requires further system-level strengthening to provide timely and consistent care for road traffic injury patients. We recommend coordinated action to strengthen the prehospital workforce, standardize clinical practice, improve communication and coordination across the continuum of care, and enhance receiving-facility preparedness and capacity.