United Republic of Tanzania News

Tanzania joined hands with the rest of the world to commemorate the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) for the 23rd time on 31st May 2009. This is done to create people’s awareness and to curb the use of tobacco products in the country, which has been on the increase in the 21st century. The activity this year WNTD was successfully hosted by Kilimanjaro Region, in the township of Holili, Rombo District.

Planning and implementation of activities

The World Health Health Day 2008 was commemorated in Tanzania at national level in Singida region which is 700 KM from Dar Es Salaam. This is in accordance to the Tanzania’s tradition of taking all International Health Commemorations to the regions, in efforts to ensure that rural areas are fully involved and benefit from these events. This colourful occasion which also marked the 60th Anniversary of the World Health Organization was launched on 6th April with exhibitions mounted at the Singida stadium involving more than ten service providing institutions.

Introduction

The Blood Donor Day, 2009 in Tanzania was commemorated at national level in Mbeya City, southern Tanzania. The occasion was officiated by the Hon. Minister of Health and Social Welfare and attended by the Regional Commissioner and other regional officials, Ministry of Health Officials, WHO, CDC and other partners, Voluntary Blood Donors, the Media and the Mbeya community.

Major events on WBDD, 2009

President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of the United Republic of Tanzania on 30th June 2009 launched the Health Sector Strategic Plan III July 2009 – June 2015 - “Partnership for Delivering the MDGs”.

Leaders from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, United Nations Special Envoy on Malaria, and World Health Organization, Travel to Tanzania and Uganda.

Tanzania is committed to the global goal of polio eradication and will use its own resources and the support from the global community to move towards that goal. There has been no reported case of polio in the country since 1996, while polio surveillance indicators have been met. The support provided by the UN in this endeavour is most appreciated. This was said by Regional Commissioner Mwekipesile when he launched the SNIDS at Mbarali town outside Mbeya city in Mbeya Region, Tanzania.

Tanzania is one of the countries that have good collaboration with WHO and other partners in health. This partnership has made it possible for WHO to solicit appropriate support from different partners and collaborators to compliment the Government’s effort towards ensuring improved health services of its citizens. Hence forth, WHO as the UN Agency specialised in Health, has been playing a central role in ensuring that appropriate measures and actions are taken to promote the health of the vulnaurable populations.

The 55th ICC meeting held in December 2010, decided to conduct the SNIDs in the high risk regions in Tanzania to prevent the importation of Wild Polio Virus (WPV). This was also a recommendation from East Southern African EPI Managers meeting in Harare held in March 2011.

Tanzania was considered to be in a high risk of getting importation of WPV due to heavy traffic movements to and from neighbouring infected countries using the Dar Es Salaam harbour. Four regions Kagera, Kigoma, Rukwa and Mbeya were identified to be at highest risk.

Tanzania has been honoured to host this year’s World Malaria Day commemorations at which took place on 25th April 2010 in Dar Es Salaam.

On 11th August 2011, the Government of Tanzania expressed its appreciation for WHO support offered to Rabies Elimination Project in 5 South Eastern regions of Tanzania namely Dar Es Salaam, Coast, Lindi, Morogoro and Mtwara and Pemba Island in Zanzibar.

This was acknowledged by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development Dr. Charles Nyamrunda during handing over of various vaccination equipment and supplies worth USD 103,517 equivalent to Tshs 165,626,544.