SPIU
SPIU
Dr. Biraro Gilbert is the Coordinator of the Single Project Implementation Unit (SPIU)
Dr. Biraro Gilbert is the Coordinator of the Single Project Implementation Unit (SPIU)
Dr. Biraro Gilbert is the Coordinator of the Single Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of the Rwanda Biomedical Center/Ministry of Health. The SPIU is the projects management unit in charge of management as well as implementation monitoring of all external donor-funded projects, such as the Global Fund, for which the Ministry of Health (MoH) is the Primary Recipient (PR), and RBC assumes the responsibility of technical coordination. He has a combination of 12 working years’ experience at junior and senior levels.
Over the past 10 years, he has acquired specific working knowledge and experience in program management at mid to senior level leadership positions, needed to address the diversities of working with central level and Local Government institutions, multilateral donor organizations such as the Global Fund, the World Bank, GAVI Alliance, UN Family (WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA), etc.
He understands that there are a range of complexities in the development, implementation and improvement of health care strategies and interventions in resource-poor settings such as sub-Saharan Africa. The ultimate goal for his career in public health is to work in a position that allows him to be proactive and advocate for change and improvement in community health on both a local and global level.
Definition
The Single Projects’ Implementation Unit (SPIU) is an entity set up in, and by, a Budget Agency (a public entity such as a Ministry or affiliated Public Agency) to efficiently coordinate, monitor and implement or facilitate the implementation of externally funded projects/programs in the health sector.
What We Do
The SPIU in RBC is under the direct supervision of the Deputy Director General (DDG). The SPIU tasks focus on the following functions related to external donor-funded projects/grants: administrative; planning, monitoring and evaluation; financial management and accounting; legal affairs; procurement; financial controlling, compliance monitoring and audit; and ICT support.
Compliance to Public Fund Management (PFM) and Donor Regulations
SPIU-RBC provides required technical assistance to both budget and non-budget entities and agencies involved in the implementation of funded Programs/Projects to enforce the respect of client charter and SOPs related to financial processes, payment of invoices, and funds’ requests from implementing agencies and suppliers.
Benefits from the SPIU arrangement: 'One Stop Center'
- Transaction costs by sharing functions that are valid for any kind of health sector development project;
- Time that is spent in team recruitment for the newly starting project;
- Number of extensions formerly requested due to delays normally registered in the project start;
- Staff turn-over since the core team for project implementation will be retained and recycled depending on the emerging projects;
- Number of project accounts in the banks;
Detailed information on past and ongoing projects are accessible through the SPIU during the process of identification, formulation, elaboration and/or negotiation of new project proposals
- Easy to align planning with GoR policies, strategies, and plans
- Easy to write new grant proposal knowing already:
- The contents of existing projects,
- What is going on properly,
- What failed, and why
- What was left behind
- Who is doing what
- What to avoid and how to improve
- Avoid duplication in activities and targets across grants and sub-recipients: HR, Researches, equipment, medical infrastructures, pharmaceuticals, trainings
- Harmonization of unit costs across projects: Salaries, trainings, equipment, etc.
Ensure all financial reports of external grants/projects are sufficiently supported and all support documents are compiled as well as adequately and properly secured
Ensure recommendations from Audit Reports issued by Rwanda Office of Auditor General (OAG), other external audits, internal audits, and other reviews are implemented timely and completely
Vision
100 % of external grants have achieved the expected budget execution rate, physical and time progress targeted each year.
Contact
Dr. BIRARO Gilbert,
Coordinator
Single Projects Implementation Unit (SPIU)
Tel: +250 788 507 113/ +250 738 507 113
Email: gilbert.biraro@rbc.gov.rw
Did You Know?
By the end of 2018, the Office of the Auditor General had issued 20 audit reports in relation to RBC, all of which were deemed clean.