Tanzania

Tanzania

A diverse country on the east coast of Africa, Tanzania is a democratic nation on the Indian Ocean in East Africa just south of the equator.  At nearly twice the size of California, Tanzania has Africa’s highest peak, Mlima (Mount) Kilimanjaro, within its borders, and shares Africa’s largest lake, Nyanza (Lake) Victoria, with neighboring Kenya and Uganda.

Economic growth and development threatened by poor health

The Tanzanian population stands at 40 million people with agriculture, mining and tourism the most profitable sectors of the economy. The country has enjoyed more than decade of political stability and the wealth of natural resources has promoted strong economic growth. However, poverty and poor health remain endemic, particularly in rural areas. The health toll of HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases is high; of every 1,000 children born, 122 will die before their fifth birthday. Other indicators such as the low number of mothers who give birth assisted by a trained health worker, and the great delay in referring patients from health centres up to more specialist hospitals, highlight inadequacies in the existing health care system. Greater numbers of health care workers and improved health care facilities are therefore crucial factors in ensuring Tanzania’s future development.

The Tanzanian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW), faith-based organizations, nonprofits, and private institutions operate health facilities ranging from rural dispensaries staffed by one person to the four, large hospitals in the Lake Zone region of the country, which include Weill Bugando Medical Centre.

Joining with President Kikwete

The Government of Tanzania, led by His Excellency, President Jakaya M. Kikwete, has made a commitment to improving equity of access to quality health services – through construction of over five thousand basic health care facilities, and a significant increase in the number of health workers. To realize this goal, Tanzania has engaged various partners to improve the nation’s health care and health worker training systems.  The Touch Foundation is proud of what it has achieved in partnership with the Tanzania Government and is grateful for President Kikwete’s explicit and public support.

For more information about Tanzania, please follow the external links below.