Mission

The mission of the Ministry of Health is to provide and continually improve affordable promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative health care services of the highest quality, thereby contributing to the reduction of poverty and enhancing the general well-being of the population.

Objectives

In a bid to achieve its mission,  the overall objective of the health sector in the recently updated Health Sector Strategic Plan IV (2018 to 2024) is to ensure universal accessibility (geographical and financial) of equitable and affordable quality health services (preventative, curative, rehabilitative and promotional services) for all Rwandans. 

This Overall Objective will be attained through four Strategic Objectives: 

• Full implementation of the main health programs (improve demand, access and quality) 
• Strengthen the health systems building blocks (strengthen policies, resources and management) 
• Strengthen all levels of service delivery (organize the services effectively at all levels, referrals) 
• Ensure effective governance of the sector (strengthen decentralization, partnership, private sector coordination, aid effectiveness, and financial management)

Vision

The Health Sector Policy (2015) states the overall vision of the health sector as follows: To pursue an integrated and community-driven development process through the provision of equitable, accessible and quality health care services.

Functions of Ministry of Health

• Developing, disseminating and coordinating the implementation of health policies, strategies and programs through: elaboration of national health policies, strategies and programs; coordination and elaboration of policies, strategies and programs of the institutions under its supervision;
•  Regulating the health sector through: Drafting and disseminating laws, regulations and instructions to promote the health sector; setting up and disseminating standards applicable to health sector; authorizing private health institutions;
•  Monitoring and evaluating the implementation of policies, strategies and programs of health sector and related sectors through: developing health sector monitoring and evaluating systems; ensuring the administrative, financial and technical control in the health sector and inspection of health centers, pharmacies and medical laboratories; monitoring the indicators and consolidating the data handled by the health decentralized institutions and reporting periodically and annually to the Cabinet on the impact of the policies, strategies, programs and projects on the development of the health sector and institutions under its supervision.
•  Developing institutional and human resources capacities in health sector through: overseeing the premises and equipment of public and private health facilities and those of pharmacies; developing the content of courses and continuing training of health professionals; developing and disseminating the policies, strategies and guidelines for the deployment, motivation and retention of human resources in the health sector and organizing the purchase and supply of drugs;
•  Developing innovative health financing approaches for accessibility to quality health services through: ensuring equitable access to health service; developing and promoting the financing of public providers of health services based on their performance; and developing and promoting health insurance mechanisms.
•  Overseeing the institutions under supervision through: supervision of the functioning and ensure efficiency and quality of management of public institutions and agencies under its supervision and giving orientations on specific programs to be realized by the institutions under supervision;
•  Mobilizing resources for the development of the health sector and related programs through: mobilization of resources and monitoring their rational use by the health sector; promotion of public-private partnership and private investment in the health sector;
•  Developing medical cooperation and coordinate health sector partners through: development of medical programs and cooperation with other countries, international organizations and nongovernment organizations in the health sector; development of health sector wide approach and coordination of health sector partner.