Health officials discuss performance contract

Rwamagana—Officials from the Ministry of Health and representatives of hospitals and health centres in Eastern Province are locked in a two-day meeting in Rwamagana to discuss agreed-upon performance contract. Dr. George Ntabashwa, a ministry official working with performance-based financing project, said the meeting was because of the government’s need to improve the health sector. Hospitals and health centres are specifically mandated to improve child mortality rates and birth control. The exercise therefore intended to make an evaluation on the steps made, to discuss the hindrances and the way forward.Ministry official Rigorbert Mpendwazi said the health indicators were crucial for budget formulation and financial allocation to each and every hospital and health centre.Financial allocation depends on achievements in the performance contracts. Hospitals have been mandated to make review mechanisms amongst themselves in order to deriver quality services to the residents. Dr. Norbert Uwiragire, director of Kiziguro hospital in Gatsibo, says the experience shows that the newly-introduced review mechanism system has led to an improvement in the health sector. The two-day meeting brought together health officials from Eastern province and directors of hospitals in Rwamagana, Rwinkwavu, Gahini, Kiziguro, Ngarama and Ngoma.Ends