The UK government has extended a grant of £12 million (about Frw13b) to be injected into the country’s health sector.

The deal was sealed by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) and Rwanda’s Finance ministry on Tuesday.

"I wish to thank DFID for adopting sector budget support as a modality for its assistance to Rwanda’s health sector," Finance Minister James Musoni said after signing the agreement at the ministry headquarters.

He noted that continued investment in human capital was key to sustainable growth and poverty eradication.

"I’m delighted to see that the UK continues to support the Government of Rwanda’s development programmes," he added.

The grant is expected to help strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Health in its plan to extend better health services to especially vulnerable groups.

The DFID country representative, Sandra Pepera, said Rwanda’s efforts to cut down the rate of infant mortality needed to be boosted.

"We want to work with the Government and other development partners to deliver better health services that are accessible to all people when they need them" Pepera said.

Musoni said that that approach would help address inefficiencies in health aid programmes.

Rwanda has over the past ten years received financial support from UK totalling to about £380m (approx. Frw410b).

Most of that money was pumped into the areas of education, agriculture and land reforms.

Ends