What shaped the health sector in 2015

In the health outlook for 2015, there were a number of events, with the launch of various health programmes and centres taking centre stage. Despite the recognition of outstanding performers, abusers of health systems were apprehended. Healthy Times brings you the major highlights; MoH human resource restructuring The Ministry of Health unveiled plans to restructure its human resources structure and the shift from relying on project funding for staff salaries to a new payment approach that uses internally generated revenue. This followed a statement from the ministry indicating that the reduction of budget for human resources across the health sector has pushed health facilities to revisit their staffing capacity and competencies to ensure that available resources are best put to use to meet the day-to-day operations of the health facilities and guarantee sustainability. Employees who did not meet the required profile and competencies faced the axe. Malaria increase blamed on substandard bed nets The Ministry of Health blamed the rising rate of malaria incidences in the country on substandard bed nets. The nets, procured in 2013 from Netprotect, a firm based in Denmark, had from a study been found inefficient. Speaking at a news conference in Kigali, health minster Dr Agnes Binagwaho, said three million mosquito nets currently in use in the country were less effective in managing mosquitoes. Government also considered suing Netprotect which expressed reluctance in refunding money or replacing the nets Traditional healers target youth to revamp industry The association of traditional healers, commonly known as Aga Rwanda Network, resolved to involve youth in their activities, as a measure to bolster the industry, which is dominated by the elderly. Daniel Gafaranga, the president of the association, said by the end of the year, they target to have brought at least 300 youths on board. According to Gafaranga, they will target youth who have completed secondary school with a bias in science disciplines like biology and chemistry. The association’s members are accredited by the Ministry of Health and the herbalists committed to registering all traditional healers in the country, establishing 300 traditional health centres, and training 1,000 herbalists. Full pay for maternity leave resumed The Government approved a draft law establishing and governing the organisation of Maternity Leave Benefits Scheme, which is an insurance plan under which working women going on a 12-week maternity leave will be paid their full salary in the last six weeks of their leave. The Maternity Leave Benefits Scheme, approved by Cabinet mid this year, initially did not cater for full payment for working women on leave. They would collect their full salary in the first six weeks of their maternity leave, while they have to come back to work in the second half of their leave or surrender 80 per cent of their monthly salary if they opt to stay home. Under the draft law, “the Social Security Administration pays to a mother on a monthly basis, maternity leave benefits equal to her net salary based on average remunerations declared for the last three months.” Rwanda chosen to champion e-health in EAC Rwanda was selected to be East Africa’s centre of excellence in e-health and biomedical engineering as well as health vaccines and immunisation logistics. The decision was taken by health experts and officials from the East African Community (EAC) during a meeting in Kampala, Uganda for the fifth annual EAC Health and Scientific Conference. “We were given this task because Rwanda is relatively advanced in matters of ICT. Our responsibility will be to provide e-health solutions like storage of medical records using high technology,” Parfait Uwaliraye, the acting Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health, told The New Times in Kampala. According to the plan, Uganda will be the centre of excellence in treating cancer, Kenya will be charged with issues of urology, Tanzania will be charged with cardiac issues, while Burundi will handle nutritional issues. First Lady calls for sustained efforts in HIV/Aids fight First Lady Jeannette Kagame reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to the fight against HIV/Aids, saying the country is using a holistic approach through a combination of laws and policies, and pro-women and girls programmes. Mrs Kagame was speaking at a forum on Women and HIV/Aids in Washington D.C, US, by amfAR - the Foundation for Aids research. Under the theme, “Fast-Tracking the Global Response to HIV/Aids,” the conference brought together members of the US congress, diplomats, policymakers, researchers, and people living with HIV/Aids. Mrs Kagame noted that following the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, there were hundreds of thousands of women brutally raped and infected with HIV/Aids, numerous orphans and widows prompted the government to embark on restoring dignity to people’s lives. Among the initiatives that the government embarked on, Mrs Kagame said, were scaling up healthcare services such as prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) services, establishment of a one stop centre in response to gender violence and increasing girls’ enrollment in school. Drive to increase health insurance subscription The Ministry of Health started sensitisation campaigns in a bid to increase health insurance subscriptions. But although the country’s community health insurance subscriptions increased from 73 per cent in the fiscal year 2013/14 to 76 per cent for the fiscal year 2014/2015, about Rwf7 billion worth went uncollected in the current fiscal year, according to Ministry of Health officials. By 2010, subscription rate for Mutuelle de sante stood at 91 per cent. However, along the way, some mistakes were made that led to a decline in subscriptions and later forced government to commission a countrywide audit. Several arrests were made in Western and Eastern Provinces in connection with mismanagement of the scheme’s funds. Sources told The New Times that the irregularities were uncovered during an audit into Mutuelle’s operations ahead of its transfer to the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB). At 76 per cent, Rwanda still tops the region in community health insurance coverage, followed by Burundi with 65 per cent, Kenya 32 per cent, Tanzania 19 per cent, while in Uganda it stands at less than 1 per cent. The local scheme has been described as a key vehicle for achieving the country’s development agenda, by ensuring a healthy population. PIH celebrates 10-year anniversary Staff members of Partners in Health (PIH), Kayonza residents and local leaders gathered on Thursday to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the organisation’s activities in Kayonza District. The event was held at PIH offices in Rwinkwavu Sector in the country. PIH had been working to strengthen public health system in rural communities, serving thousands of people through empowering hospitals and health centers. Antoinette Habinshuti, the deputy country director for PIH, said she was pleased with the general improvement of people’s livelihood and lifestyle. Ruhengeri Hospital gets modern eye treatment centre Officials and eye patients welcomed the newly-upgraded eye clinic at Ruhengeri Hospital, expected to increase access to eye treatment. The Ruhengeri Vision Centre was completed at a cost of $400,000 (about Rwf290 million). Its construction, installation of equipment and other requirements were sponsored by Onesight, a non-profit organisation. Dr Deo Ndekezi, the director of Ruhengeri Hospital, said the facility would help the hospital treat various eye diseases and hailed Onesight for the support and promised improved services to patients. Mony Iyer, Onesight’s senior director for strategy and innovation, said the new facility would act as pilot project before it is taken to the rest of the country. Eye glasses are provided at between Rwf5,000 and Rwf30,000, which officials said will be lower than the normal price. CHUK opens kidney treatment centre Rwanda received 15 specialised equipment to help treat patients with kidney diseases. The equipment was donated by a team from Japan’s Tukushukai Medical Corporation, with 10 going to the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), while the rest will go to the University Teaching Hospital of Butare (CHUB). The handover ceremony also served as an occasion to officially inaugurate a hemodialysis centre at the CHUK. Hemodialysis is the most common way to treat advanced kidney failure. Dr Solange Hakiba, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health, appealed to insurance companies in the country to help patients access these services. MoH turns to new method to increase voluntary HIV testing The Ministry of Health expressed optimism that the new “finger prick” HIV/AIDS testing method would encourage more people to seek voluntary counseling and testing services as part of efforts to prevent new infections. The new method was launched during the expo in Gikondo, Kigali. Speaking to The New Times last week, the director of HIV/AIDS Prevention Unit at Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Dr Placidie Mugwaneza, said the new method is free, simple and less painful. In the new method, a finger is pricked to obtain a blood sample that is smeared on one end of a testing device pad. The year also had events such as blood donation drives. (Solomon Asaba) A drop of buffer solution is then applied onto blood and the person waits for 15 minutes maximum before they can get their results. “The person witnesses the process of testing so they won’t doubt their results,” Dr Mugwaneza explained. The developments also complement, WHO recommendations that all people with HIV or at risk be immediately put on antiretroviral therapy. Rwanda to adopt new standards on occupational health Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) revealed plans to adopt best practices from other countries on how to tackle occupational hazards. RSB, in partnership with British and Swedish standards bodies, wants to train its staff on the new standard (ISO 45001) about occupational health and safety to lessen burden of injuries and diseases in workplaces. According to Dr Marc Cyubahiro, the director-general of Rwanda Standards Board, enhancing participation of the region and global experts in the field will help Rwanda improve safety and health conditions in the workplace. Gasabo District gets new HIV clinic, laboratory The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) - Rwanda inaugurated a new HIV clinic and laboratory at Kabuye Health Centre in Gasabo District. The facility, worth Rwf70 million, helps healthcare providers have separate rooms for different services. Kabuye Health Centre has a total of about 700 clients in HIV care. *************************************************** 2015 IN BRIEF: New Rwf32 billion scheme to promote maternal, child health The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched a new Maternal and Child Survival Programme in the country. The programme ,worth $43 million (Rwf 32 billion), replaced the Rwanda Family Health Project that started in 2012. The new project will run until 2018. US ambassador to Rwanda, Erica Barks Ruggles, said the new project would be a continuation to the achievements of the previous one that cost $57 million (Rwf 49 billion). Malaria vaccine closer to reality Ongoing global efforts to tackle malaria took a positive turn following the authorisation of an experimental malaria vaccine for trial. This move was announced by the The World Health Organisation’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE) and the Malaria Policy Advisory Committee (MPAC). The test of the ‘Mosquirix’ vaccine is to be conducted in three to five (non-clinical setting) in order to understand how best to use the vaccine that aims to protect young children against malaria. Processed, red meat cause cancer, warns WHO Consumption of red and processed meat could trigger bowel cancer, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned. A group of 22 WHO experts from 10 countries revealed the findings at the France-based International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) after thoroughly reviewing accumulated scientific literature. The study, published in the Journal of Oncology, defines red meat as all types of mammalian muscle meat such as beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, horse, and goat, whereas processed meat is further transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other processes to enhance flavour or improve preservation. CoK signs global declaration on ending HIV/AIDS in cities The City of Kigali (CoK) recommitted to the fight against HIV/AIDS by signing of the Paris Declaration on ending the epidemic in cities and urban areas, a year after the global strategy was adopted. The Declaration, reached in France in December, 2014, outlines seven commitments that city mayors undertook in the fight against HIV/AIDS. These include; ending the disease in cities by 2030; putting people at the centre of all interventions; addressing the causes of the risk, vulnerability and transmission; using AIDS response for positive social transformation; building and accelerating an appropriate response to local needs through promoting services that are innovative and free from stigma and discrimination; mobilising resources for integrated public health; and development and promoting unity among leaders. More than 145 cities across the world have already signed the document. HIV prevalence rate in the City of Kigali is estimated to be at 7.3 per cent, higher than the national average of 3 per cent. Ruhengeri Hospital investigated over mother’s death Early in the year, Police and the Ministry of Health investigated circumstances under which a 30-year-old pregnant woman died at Ruhengeri Hospital. Olive Mushimiyimana, died almost a week after referral from Bigogwe Health Centre in Nyabihu District, amid concerns of normal delivery. Family members of the deceased reported the case to Police accusing hospital medics of failure to give enough attention and ignoring to check the clinical details of the mother. Compiled by Solomon Asaba