The government has launched an inspection into the quality of services offered by eight private health facilities aimed at fixing gaps in the health system.
The 5-day inspection kicked off on September 21, and it comes just days after the Ministry of Health closed down Baho International Hospital following the death of a patient and a series of public outcry over the hospital’s poor quality of services.
The health facilities under inspection include La Croix du Sud Hospital, MBC Hospital, Dream Medical Centre Hospital and Ejo Heza Surgical Center Hospital. Others are Wiwo Specialized Hospital, Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, Polyclinique La Croix du Sud Gisenyi, and Polyclinique Saint-Jean.
The ministry said it would extend its probe into all private health facilities but did not specify the period when this will be done.
Julien Mahoro Niyingabira, Division Manager, Rwanda Health Communications Centre, told The New Times that the inspections will end on September 25.
The ministry’s preliminary investigations in an undisclosed private health facility unearthed gaps in leadership and governance, service delivery, health workforce, medical products, infrastructure, and equipment.
"During the current inspection, the ministry will be looking at the performance and services delivery. If any health facility doesn’t meet the standard, there would be different penalties based on the level of gaps,” said Niyingabira.
At the end of the inspection, health facilities with gaps will be given varying sanctions ranging from closure to recommendations on areas of improvement.
However, Niyingabira added that some would be closed down completely if the inspection team finds out that they are far from meeting government standards on private health facilities.
When Baho Hospital was closed down, Dr Daniel Ngamije, the Minister for Health, told The New Times on Saturday, September 18, that it should be an example to all private health facilities.
"We will issue a communique not only on the Baho case. It will be addressed to all private health facilities, requesting them to improve their quality of services and comply with the standards,” he said.