United Republic of Tanzania News

Kagunga, 26 May 2015 – The ongoing cholera outbreak in western Tanzania appears to be improving thanks to intensive national and international efforts, but the risk of transmission remains high due to limited access to shelter, toilets, water and essential medical care. As of 25 May, the total number of cases diagnosed and treated was 4408 and no deaths have been reported between 21-24 May.

Kigoma, 28 May 2015 – As of 16 May 2015, a cholera outbreak was confirmed in the Kigoma region, on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, along the Tanzania border with Burundi. Cholera is endemic in the region, but due to a recent influx of thousands of Burundian refugees, overcrowding and poor sanitation, the situation got worse. As of 28 May 2015, a total of 4487 suspected cholera cases have been reported so far. 

Kigoma, 1 June 2015 – The number of suspected cholera cases has been dropping dramatically over the past few days, underlining the tremendous progress being made to bring the ongoing cholera outbreak under control in the Kigoma region, Tanzania. Rehydrating cholera patients, as well as isolating them, have been key to the progress made to date.

Karago, 4 June 2015 – Tanzania’s large-scale cholera outbreak is not solely confined to the thousands of Burundian refugees who fled insecurity at home. Local Tanzanians have also been infected with the water-borne disease, prompting scaled-up surveillance efforts by the World Health Organization (WHO) and health authorities to trace and stamp out any new cases.

Kigoma, 9 June 2015 –Tanzania’s cholera outbreak has prompted not just a large-scale health response to treat thousands of people, but also a scaling up of dis

Last week, 25 participants from districts across western Tanzania’s Kigoma region were trained on showing others to strengthen systems to detect and respond to outbreaks in the area, which has been at the centre of the recent cholera outbreak linked to Burundians refugees fleeing into this country.

The United Republic of Tanzania is one of 15 countries that is being supported by the Renewed Partnership, a collaborative initiative between the European Union (EU), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), which aims to improve patient health outcomes, achieve health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and attain universal health coverage.

Kigoma, 18 June 2015 – The cholera risk remains high in villages around entry points for asylum seekers in Kigoma region, Western Tanzania. The daily influx of asylum seekers has caused the population in the Nyarugusu camp in Tanzania to swell to over 55 500.

Since the start of the outbreak on 10 May 2015, 4662 suspected/confirmed cholera cases and 34 deaths have been reported. Among these are 129 cases and 3 deaths among Tanzanians, mainly in Kagunga village, Kigoma urban and Karago village.

Dar es Salaam, 28 August 2015 - The WHO Tanzania Country Office provided the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare water treatment supplies and disinfectants to strengthen the Cholera Outbreak response in the country. Items handed over included: 1,000 cartons of Water Guard (2,400,000 tablets) and 100 litres of Cresol Saponated Liquid (LYSOL), all worth a total of US$ 21,130 equivalent to Tanzania Shillings TShs 42,260,000.

Dar es Salaam, 4 September 2015 – An on-going large-scale cholera outbreak has left thirteen people dead and affected 815 people in Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Pwani and Iringa regions in Tanzania. WHO has ramped up its emergency response to support Tanzania's Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) to prevent more cases and treat people who have contracted the water-borne disease. But additional resources are urgently needed to contain further spread of the disease.

Dar es Salaam, 9 September 2015 - The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare with support from the World Health Organization, is hosting the Annual Conference for Regional and District Medical Officers to deliberate on how to strengthen health service delivery in the country.