Northern Region

The Northern Regional Health Directorate (RHD) is headed by Dr. John Bertson Eleeza, the Regional Director of Health Service. He is assisted by four Regional Deputy Directors, namely, Deputy Director Public Health, Deputy Director Clinical Care, Deputy Director Health Administration and Support Services and Deputy Director Finance. Under each Deputy Director are administrative and technical staff with the responsibility of coordinating health programmes/projects, and technical/ administrative units of the RHD.

The RHD is responsible for policy dissemination, stakeholder dialogue, capacity-building, coordination of planning and implementation of health policies and programmes in the region.  The Departments under the RHD provide technical support, monitoring and supervisory functions of health services delivered at the district, sub-district, and community level in the region.

Under the RHD are 16 Metro / Municipal / District Health Directorates headed by Metro/ Municipal / District Directors of Health Service who provide supervision, technical and management support as well as champion the implementation of health policies and programmes in the districts and sub-districts within the region.  There are 84 health sub-districts in the region

Health services in the region are provided by a network of health facilities owned by the public and private. The health facilities comprise 32 hospitals, 2 polyclinics, 102 clinics/health centres, 7 maternity homes and 171 CHPS compounds.  

As the body responsible for health services in the region, the RHD maintains close links with all other agencies of the Ministry of Health, the local government system, traditional authorities, and other stakeholders in health including development partners, and civil society in the region.

Mandate of The RHD

The Regional Health Directorate (RHD) represents the administrative apex of health services delivery within the region. The mandate is to provide and prudently manage comprehensive and accessible health service with special emphasis on primary health care at regional, district and sub-district levels in accordance with approved national policies. The RHD also works with headquarters, health partners, and other stakeholders to increase access to health services, through the provision of health infrastructure, human resources, logistics/health commodities, public health and clinical care interventions

Functions of The RHD

Generally, the region implements and monitors health Sector policies, ensures effective coordination of activities, judicious management of health resources (human, logistics, equipment and infrastructure) and provides guidance and technical support to the lower levels. More specifically the region engages in the following:

• Ensuring access to health services at the district, sub-district and community levels by providing health services or contracting out service provision to other recognized health care providers in the region
• Undertaking effective management and administration of the health resources within the region
• Promoting healthy lifestyles and good health habits among the public through effective and targeted health education
• Developing appropriate strategies and setting technical guidelines to achieve national policy goals/objectives
• Implementing and monitoring health policies, strategic plans, protocols, standards and guidelines set up by national in the region
• Planning and delivery of clinical interventions
• Planning and management of public health programmes in the region
• Establishing effective mechanism for disease surveillance, prevention and control in the region
• Strengthening public health action to reduce impact of emergencies and disasters on health in the region
• Supportive supervision, monitoring and evaluation of programme implementation
• Human resource management (including staff welfare)
• Transport, equipment and estates management
• Data collection, analysis, reporting and feedback
• Collaboration with key stakeholders in health (NGOs, Community leaders, Decentralized departments, CBOs, etc.).

Departments / BMCs

To deliver its mandate, the RHD is structured into four main Departments / Budget Management Centres (BMCs) as follows:

• Office of Regional Director of Health Service BMC
• Public Health BMC / Department
• Clinical BMC / Department
• Health Administration & Support Service (HASS) BMC / Department