KIGALI - Dr. Agnes Binagwaho has taken on her new office as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health. She assumed her duties after a handover ceremony witnessed by the newly appointed Health Minister, Dr. Richard Sezibera at the Ministry yesterday.

Binagwaho is replacing Caroline Kayonga who was moved to the Ministry of Natural Resources in a similar position during the recent cabinet shuffle.

The incoming PS was the Executive Secretary of the National Aids Commission (CNLS), a post that is now occupied by the former head of the Treatment and Research AIDS Centre (TRAC), Dr. Anita Asiimwe.

Dr. Asiimwe also attended the handover ceremony of the outgoing and incoming Permanent Secretaries.

Some of the documents handed to Dr. Binagwaho include the roles and guidelines of the Health Permanent Secretary, the Ministry’s midterm evaluation reports, policies of the health sector in the country, and the health situation and geographical health coverage of services among other documents.

Some of the tasks that Binagwaho will handle include the upcoming health retreat scheduled for sometime next month, empowering the national health scheme (Mutuelle de Sante) and clearing debts left by Netcare that are not catered for by the Ministry’s budget. Netcare used to run King Faisal hospital.
Other tasks include honoring presidential pledges like building hospitals and other health-related issues.

Kayonga requested Binagwaho to prioritize maternal and child health.

In her response, Binagwaho said that the health sector has achieved a lot and her first assignment will be consolidating all the achievements and plan for a successive future.

Binagwaho is expected to take on duties immediately after the handover.

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