Rwanda Health Systems Strengthening Activity: Quarterly Report (January- March, 2018)

The project, implemented by Management Sciences for Health (MSH) and its partners, seeks to build a country-owned sustainable health system capable of leading and managing change through the provision of extensive technical support. The project focuses on four strategic areas with four Intermediate Results (IRs): IR1, IR2, IR3, and IR4. IR1, Leadership and Advocacy, aims to institutionalize health systems thinking to increase advocacy, leadership, and stewardship. IR2, Governance, Policy, and Planning, targets improved policy, planning, and implementation at the central and district levels. IR3, Management, Coordination, and Implementation, consists of three sub-components: a) increased revenue for the health sector through domestic and private sector sources to achieve sustainability, b) improved quality of health services and greater efficiency in resource use, and c) Private Sector Engagement (PSE)/Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). IR4, M&E, Learning, and Knowledge, focuses on developing, strengthening, and implementing monitoring and evaluation frameworks at the central and district levels. The RHSS Project works across four strategic areas: Leadership and Advocacy, Governance, Policy, and Planning, Management, Coordination, and Implementation, and M&E, Learning, and Knowledge. The project's overall goal is to achieve a strengthened and expanded performance of the Rwandan health system at the national, decentralized, and community levels. The project's implementation is supported by a team of experts from MSH and its partners, including Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Banyan Global, UR/CMHS School of Public Health, and Jembi Health Systems, SA. The RHSS Project has made significant progress in the first quarter of 2018, with notable achievements in the areas of institutionalized health systems thinking, improved policy, planning, and implementation, and increased revenue mobilization for the health sector. The project has also made progress in developing and strengthening monitoring and evaluation frameworks at the central and district levels. Additionally, the project has supported the development of a Private Sector Engagement (PSE)/Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) framework, which aims to increase private sector engagement in the health sector. The RHSS Project has also made progress in the area of maternal and child health (MCH) and family planning (FP), with a focus on improving the quality of health services and increasing access to health care for vulnerable populations. The project has also supported the development of a health management information system (HMIS) to improve data collection and analysis at the central and district levels. The RHSS Project has a strong collaboration with other projects, donors, and agencies, including the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Local Government, and the Rwanda Development Board. The project has also received technical assistance from international partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The RHSS Project has a robust monitoring and evaluation framework in place, which includes the use of performance indicators to track progress and identify areas for improvement. The project also has a strong focus on knowledge management and learning, with a view to sharing best practices and lessons learned with other stakeholders in the health sector. Overall, the RHSS Project has made significant progress in the first quarter of 2018, with notable achievements in the areas of institutionalized health systems thinking, improved policy, planning, and implementation, and increased revenue mobilization for the health sector. The project continues to work towards its overall goal of achieving a strengthened and expanded performance of the Rwandan health system at the national, decentralized, and community levels.