Table 3 Measures that the ministry of health has taken to mitigate

Reinforce external partnership for resource mobilization

Establishment of a funding office in MOH to identify and attract partners

Reinforce domestic resource mobilization

(a) Introduction of fees for certain services, e.g. ambulance services, mortuary service, etc.; (b) charges for certain non essential medicines

Enhance advocacy

Advocacy for fiscal policy reform to provide more financial assistance to health facilities, e.g. the earmarked tax revenues

Improve safety nets for health services

Free anti-retroviral medicines

Improve planning, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation

(a) Creation of budget line for vaccines; (b) government-wide integrated action taken to develop a plan to mitigate negative effects of the crisis; (c) development of Medium Term health expenditure framework; (c) avoidance of expenditures outside the national health strategic plan.

Improve efficiency

(a) Implemented strategies for better use of resources; (b) started importing cheaper medical supplies from Asian countries; (c) reduction in the Ministry's redundant labour force through Voluntary Departure Scheme, e.g. in Seychelles; (d) discussions underway on how to improve productivity of labour since it accounts for the largest expenditure in the sector; (e) re-prioritization of funding for sector priorities, e.g. Rwanda; (f) measures to related to cutbacks (restriction of expenditures); (g) South-South cooperation especially with Asian countries for health workforce development.

Strengthening of health systems

Regionalization of health centres