The Ministry of Local Government has awarded five hospitals and ten health centres in recognition of their support towards the civil registration exercise following the extension of the service to health facilities. Since last year, registration of births and deaths was extended to health facilities to help citizens who had to make long distances to the sector office to access the service. These outstanding hospitals and health centres were recognized during the celebration of African Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Day on August 10. The health facilities that were recognised were put into four categories: university teaching hospitals, provincial and district hospitals, health centres, and private hospitals. In the first category, the University Teaching Hospital of Butare (CHUB), located in Huye District scored 93.6% and it was awarded Rwf4 million. At the level of referral, provincial and districts hospitals, three hospitals were recognized; Rwinkavu Hospital which scored 95.9% and was awarded Rwf4 million, Kirehe Hospital scored 82.7% and was awarded Rwf3 million, while Byumba hospital with 80.2% was awarded Rwf2 million. Ten health centres were recognized while in the category of private hospitals, La Croix du Sud Hospital, in Gasabo District was recognized with 96.6% and was awarded Rwf3 million. “The awarding of the health facilities will encourage others to put in more effort to do it on time,” reads a statement from the Ministry of Local Government. Danny Musa, Chief Operations Manager at La Croix du Sud Hospital, told The New Times attributed the achievement to hard work by their staff and respecting advice from government. “There is a system we use in the registration of births and deaths, and our employees are trained on how to use them. Management also makes sure they are followed up to deliver good service to clients,” he added. Reviewed civil status registration In June last year, the Cabinet approved the Ministerial Order determining a health officer with powers of a civil registrar. The same cabinet meeting also approved the Presidential Order determining the responsibilities of a Cell Executive Officer. The Order gives powers to the Cell Executive Secretary, based on the information provided by the head of the village where the event took place, to register births and deaths that occur in places other than a health facility for persons with known civil status. The development follows the publication, in February last year, of an amended law governing persons and family, with clauses on civil registration particularly changed to improve the registration of civil events like births and deaths. The revised law, among other things, states that an officer of a health facility has the power of civil registrar to record births and deaths that occur there. The initiative was officially launched on CRVS day last year. In the past, what was allowed was notification but not registration as a civil registrar must be at a health facility for things to work accordingly.
