United Republic of Tanzania News

In a bid to increase access to quality healthcare services, Zanzibar’s Ministry of Health recently launched its digital health strategic plan. The five year (2021 - 2025) strategic plan was launched by the Minister for Health, Honourable Hamad Rashid in Unguja. The Plan aims at improving the provision of safer, equitable, accessible, efficient, and effective health services at all levels through proper use of affordable digital health technologies.

Early in September, the Ministry of Health in Tanzania Mainland embarked on finalizing development of its National Multi-Sectoral Cholera Prevention and Control Plan (NMCPCP).  Adopting a multi-sectoral approach to fighting cholera, the plan identifies and strengthens the linkages among government departments, multi and bi lateral development partners, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), whose actions contribute to the reduction of risk of cholera and prevention at local and national levels. 

Kigoma region has frequent population movements between neighboring countries including refugees and asylum seekers that frequently cross official and informal entry points and stay in camps and in the community.

Cultural proximity and economic activities that necessitate mingling of communities in Kigoma and neighboring countries increase the risk of disease importation and transmission.

In March 2020, when COVID-19 cases were identified in Tanzania the Government closed all education institutions, suspended sports, political rallies and international flights. However, since June the Government started easing restrictions.

The health system in Tanzania is integrating COVID-19 preventive services at districts’ health facilities and continuing other essential services, therefore moving from a centralized to a decentralized response for a better reach at community level.

Many public health events and emergencies and their associated risk factors could be prevented, or their effects mitigated. However, the health systems in most countries remain inadequate. To avert and mitigate the effects of health security risks and emergencies, countries are urged to implement Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) guidelines. These guidelines recommend thresholds for action on priority diseases, public health events and conditions and for responding to alerts. Using these action thresholds can be lifesaving.

Proper collection of samples from a human body and safely handling them to a testing laboratory is one of the key areas of response to outbreaks of highly infectious diseases, including COVID-19.  Earlier assessments by National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) identified gaps in collection of COVID-19 samples, packaging and transportation to the NPHL.

In public health emergencies such as the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, one essential lifesaving action is risk communication. This is because people have a right to know how to protect their health and have a responsibility to take informed decisions to protect themselves, their loved ones and those around them.