Race to the Top: evaluation of a novel performance-based financing initiative to promote healthcare delivery in rural Rwanda.

Background: Performance-based financing (PBF) has demonstrated a range of successes and failures in improving health outcomes across low- and middle-income countries. Evidence indicates that the success of PBF depends, in large part, on the model selected, in relation to a variety of contextual factors.

Objective: Partners In Health∣Inshuti Mu Buzima aimed to evaluate health outcomes associated with a novel capacity-building model of PBF at health centers throughout Kirehe district, Rwanda.

Improving district facility readiness: a 12-month evaluation of a data-driven health systems strengthening intervention in rural Rwanda.

Background: While health systems strengthening (HSS) interventions are recommended by global health policy experts to improve population health in resource-limited settings, few examples exist of evaluations of HSS interventions conducted at the district level. In 2009, a partnership between Partners In Health (PIH), a non-governmental organization, and the Rwandan Ministry of Health (RMOH) was provided funds to implement and evaluate a district-level HSS intervention in two rural districts of Rwanda.

Design: The partnership provided limited funds to 14 health centers for targeted systems support in 2010; six others received support prior to the intervention (reference).