Start: 2011

Phase: Pilot started in 2011 and the national rollout in 2015. It stopped in 2017

Coverage Estimate: 100% => 0%

Feasibility of design before 2017: Modest 62%

Supported by: MOH; WB; Belgium Technical Cooperation, AEDES; USAID; GF; Local Firms

Description: 

Benin, after several years of implementation of the RBF and covering all the health districts of the country, was stopped by the President in 2017. This was due to a partner-driven project approach instead of a government-owned program whereby the project management unit with well-paid staff operated in isolation from the Ministry. This created tensions with the Ministry of Health staff. There were also disagreements among the different partner organizations about the design. The negative comments from some focal academians about RBF in general was also not helpfull.

Yet, most stakeholders in particular at health facility level regret this cancellation of RBF and advocate for a restart. Yet this should be done with an improved design with more appropriation by the government, a more competitive approach including the private sector, and the establishment of regional contract development and verification agencies.