Rwandan medics banned from using cell phones

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Following the ban on the use of cell phones by medical workers while on duty, to speed up healthcare service delivery to patients, Rwanda ministry of health has announced that with effect from March 1, 2017, healthcare providers are prohibited from using personal phones during working hours to ”ensure better service delivery”

The decision to implement the policy was made after officials agreed that speaking for long on personal phones affects service delivery in the health sector, NAN reports.

Rwanda Minister for Health, Dr. Diane Gashumba, while speaking to Xinhua on Friday, confirmed the development saying that the use of cell phones by medical workers on duty was a challenge to improved healthcare services to patients.

“The ban applies to all health facilities during working hours. Patients have been complaining of medical workers who spend a lot of time on phone calls while on duty forcing patients to wait for long,” she noted.

Gashumba stated that healthcare facilities will be fitted with office telephones for staff to use related to the care of patients and other emergencies.

She said the ministry will now discuss how to implement and enforce the ban.

This directive will affect all healthcare professionals in the country, and it is part of policies the government is developing to optimize better service delivery.(Xinhua/NAN)

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Rwanda targets to improve service delivery to 80 percent by 2017.(Xinhua/NAN)

 

Posted by Juliet Ekwebelam