Rwanda Health Systems Strengthening (RHSS) Project Quarterly Report PY5 Quarter 2: January - March 2019

Implemented by Management Sciences for Health (MSH) and its partners, the project seeks to strengthen the resilience of the Rwandan health sector and its capacity to address new challenges. The project focuses on four strategic areas, with four Intermediate Results (IRs), to achieve its objectives. IR1: Leadership and Advocacy focuses on institutionalizing health systems thinking approaches and practices. This involves promoting a culture of health systems thinking within the Ministry of Health and other key stakeholders, enabling them to make informed decisions and drive change. The project aims to enhance the leadership and advocacy capacity of the Ministry of Health, ensuring that it is equipped to lead and manage the health system effectively. IR2: Governance, Policy, and Planning aims to improve the multi-level Government of Rwanda policy, planning, and implementation capacity. This involves strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Health and other key stakeholders to develop and implement policies, plans, and strategies that are aligned with the country's health sector goals and objectives. The project seeks to enhance the governance and planning capacity of the Ministry of Health, ensuring that it is equipped to make informed decisions and drive change. IR3: Health Finance focuses on improving the health finance management capacity of the Ministry of Health. This involves strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Health to manage health finances effectively, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently and effectively to achieve health sector goals and objectives. The project aims to enhance the health finance management capacity of the Ministry of Health, ensuring that it is equipped to make informed decisions and drive change. IR4: Health Information, M&E, and Research aims to improve the health information, monitoring, and evaluation capacity of the Ministry of Health. This involves strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Health to collect, analyze, and use health data to inform decision-making and drive change. The project seeks to enhance the health information, monitoring, and evaluation capacity of the Ministry of Health, ensuring that it is equipped to make informed decisions and drive change. The RHSS Project has made significant progress in achieving its objectives, with notable achievements in the current quarter. The project has institutionalized health systems thinking approaches and practices within the Ministry of Health, improved the multi-level Government of Rwanda policy, planning, and implementation capacity, and strengthened the health finance management capacity of the Ministry of Health. The project has also improved the health information, monitoring, and evaluation capacity of the Ministry of Health, enabling it to make informed decisions and drive change. The RHSS Project has also implemented several cross-cutting interventions, including the standardization of medical acts and procedures through the adoption of an international nomenclature classification system, the support of District Hospitals' strategic and business planning processes, and the continuation of the roll-out of LDP+ (2nd round) to three district hospitals. The project has also implemented the Health sector microfinance scheme (HSS-MAG) to support the health sector's financial sustainability. The RHSS Project has collaborated with other projects, donors, and agencies to achieve its objectives, including the USAID's “Strengthening the Capacity of the Health Sector” project, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), and the World Health Organization (WHO). The project has also received technical assistance from various organizations, including the Management Sciences for Health (MSH) and its partners. The RHSS Project has made significant progress in achieving its objectives, with notable achievements in the current quarter. The project has institutionalized health systems thinking approaches and practices within the Ministry of Health, improved the multi-level Government of Rwanda policy, planning, and implementation capacity, and