Rwanda’s healthcare systems, including service delivery, are set for greater improvement as a result of two projects funded to the combined tune of $85 million (more than Rwf105 billion) in total, by the United States – through its Agency for International Development (USAID), it has emerged.
On December 8, in Kigali, USAID announced the two projects: Ireme ('Quality') and Tubeho ('Let’s live'), which are aimed at supporting and further strengthening Rwanda's healthcare system.
The two projects will be implemented by Management Sciences for Health (MSH) and Jhpiego, respectively.
Management Sciences for Health (MSH) is a global nonprofit organisation that provides governments, health organisations, and the private sector with health systems strategies, tools, and management support.
Jhpiego is a global nonprofit organisation which partners with national governments, health experts, and local communities to build health providers’ skills and develop systems that save lives.
According to a press release issued by the project implementers, the official event launch was held in Kigali and was attended by the Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, the U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda, Eric W. Kneedler, and partners and stakeholders in the health sector.
It indicated that USAID Tubeho is a $60 million, five-year project running from August 3, 2023, through August 2, 2028, which aims to strengthen service delivery, support health programme implementation across maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (MNCAH), family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH), malaria services, and Global Health Security.
ALSO READ: FEATURED: UNFPA, midwives’ union partner to curb maternal deaths
It is projected that Tubeho will contribute to capacity building for providers and institutions and will be implemented by a consortium of eight local and international organisations led by Jhpiego.
The project will contribute to increasing access to availability, and delivery of evidence-based, quality, and respectful Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health/Family Planning/Reproductive Health/Malaria services in alignment with national priorities and global standards, as well as strengthen the ability of the entire health sector in Rwanda to respond to emerging global health threats.
According to the project implementers, a special component of the project will help increase the use of data and evidence for adaptive learning in programming related to malaria, maternal and child health, and family planning.
ALSO READ: Malaria most prevalent in Southern Province – report
Ireme, an almost $25 million, five-year project (2023-2028) implemented by Management Sciences for Health, seeks to strengthen the leadership, resilience, and capacity of the Rwandan healthcare system to sustain quality services and improve equitable health outcomes for Rwandans.
Together with three consortium partners – the Centre for Impact, Innovation and Capacity Building for Health Information Systems and Nutrition (CIIC-HIN), the Health Information Systems Program (HISP) Rwanda, and the PharmAccess Foundation – it is expected that Ireme will work closely with various Rwandan institutions and predominantly support the Ministry of Health in three key areas.
The areas are optimising health financing for equitable access to high-quality healthcare; strengthening leadership, management, and governance at all healthcare levels; and enhancing the management of the health workforce to improve healthcare quality.
Minister Nsanzimana said that the timing of the two projects launch is interesting as the country was embarking on new reforms, and considering ways to build even stronger healthcare systems to make them ready for adequate pandemic or disease response.
Citing the Covid-19 pandemic pressure, he pointed out that there are questions around the readiness of healthcare systems including primary healthcare, community health worker system, and private and public health facilities, and how to make sure they are strengthened for effective potential pandemic response.
"And if you read through these projects you could see the answers to these questions I am raising. The global health security is there, the health system strengthening, the financing, the human resource development, the training, the capacity building at different levels. So, you see that the designs of these projects are actually answering the current problem,” he said.