Local government minister Francis Kaboneka urged local leaders to sensitize communities to join Mutelle de Sante, a community-based health insurance, to ease access to quality and cheaper health services.

He was addressing Ngoma District leaders yesterday. Kaboneka, who commended the district’s ranking in recent performance contracts (Imihigo), said that Ngoma’s 70 per cent insurance coverage is still low. He warned that low health insurance subscription could undermine the district’s overall performance in next year’s Imihigo.

"Ngoma District was the second in last year’s country-wide rankings, but I am afraid that you risk sliding back instead of moving to position one,” he said.

Community-based health insurance was introduced in 1999 and expanded to cover a majority of the Rwandans by 2012.

Government sees it as one of the key policies that help improve access to health services across the country.

People subscribe for Mutuelle de Sante according to categories. Those considered very poor pay an annual premium of Rwf2, 000 that is settled by government on their behalf.

The rest are expected to pay for themselves premiums of Rwf3,000 and Rwf7,000.

Dr. William Namara, the Director of Kibungo Hospital said the low subscription for the health insurance affected the hospital.

"It affects our operations…we may even fail to pay for medicine if this trend continues. Otherwise we may stop at offering consultation and sending patients to buy medicine somewhere else,” he said.

District leaders say they would mount a door-to-door sensitisation campaign.

"We have started a marathon programme that will see every leader busy with sensitisation. We can’t afford to be let down by one aspect in performance contracts,” said Providence Kirenga, the Vice Mayor Social Affairs.