The Government has resorted to local solutions as way to reduce reliance on foreign aid when facilitating community-based health workers.

 During an impact and assessment workshop  last week, experts revealed that health workers are currently facilitated through a World Bank project called Performance-Based Financing’ (PBF) yet in the future, this kind of aid is likely to reduce.

 Cathy Mugeni, the director of community health unit at the Ministry of Health, said because aid funding is expected to drop in the future, there is need for alternative income sources.

 According to Mugeni, 50 per cent of PBF money is dedicated to community based health work programmes, an amount that is saved to cater for sustenance of future projects, while 20 per cent is paid to individual CBHWs, and 30 per cent to CBHW’s co-operatives.

 In other areas, the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid) together with the Ministry of Natural Resources commissioned the Migera Water System in Kayonza District a project expected to serve more than 30,000 residents.

Construction of this facility took over two years under the supervision of Usaid’s Rwanda Integrated Water Security Programme with an aim to provide sustainable access to water for residents in Mwiri and Rwinkwavu sectors.

 Other beneficiaries in the area include the district’s main hospital, Rwinkwavu, two health centers, seven public schools, markets and trading centres.

 This water system will significantly contribute to health and agricultural improvement across sectors.

 Elsewhere, $4m (£2.7m) global fund is to be launched to help developing countries fend off challenges to tobacco control measures for cigarette makers.

The fund is a joint effort by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation meant to control the risk that results from tobacco gains through the use of trade agreements and litigation procedures.