Medics top-up incentives under review

The Minister of Health, Dr Agnes Binagwaho, yesterday confirmed that the incentive to top-up on the remuneration of medical practitioners is under revision.The top-up incentive, which refers to internally generated resources of a health facility, is what is being reviewed currently but the basic salary of the health providers hasn’t changed.Binagwaho said this during a news briefing to clarify on the issue of salaries for some of the staff in the health facilities.She explained that medical practitioners are entitled to a salary from the Ministry of Public Service, Performance Based Financing (PBF), and top-up incentives on a monthly basis.According to a recent statement from the minister, hospitals have been using internally generated revenues as an extra top-up onto their net take home in an uncoordinated manner, on top of the government remuneration and PBF.“This extra top-up is being reviewed right now but it should be used to improve the quality of health care services in the health facilities such as renovations, acquiring equipment and other basic needs,” she said.She added that internally generated revenues shouldn’t be used as incentives for medics but for the welfare of the health facilities and other necessities for the hospitals.Dr William Kanyankore, who chairs the commission representing district hospitals stated: “Doctors in Rwanda have the highest salary in the region on top of the Performance Based Financing and the top-up incentives.”He, however, added that incentives for health providers will be given health facilities under different considerations which have been categorised into four zones. They include those working under difficult conditions, based on proximity to main roads, part of old prefecture and those based in Kigali or willingness to work in the setting.He explained that some hospitals in remote areas work under very tough conditions so the ministry is working on a mechanism to reward them and also have a balanced and harmonised incentive system.

National

Medics top-up incentives under review