24 June 2021, Dodoma: Tanzania launched its fifth national health sector strategic plan in Dodoma and pledged to to reach all households with essential health and social welfare services, meeting as much as possible expectations of the populations.

The plan also aims to apply evidence informed interventions through efficient channels of service delivery. Officiating the launch of the plan in Dodoma on 24 June, the Minister of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dr. Dorothy Gwajima said the new plan aims at expanding reach of the primary health care services.

“Under this plan, we will also be directing more efforts in the prevention and treatment of communicable and non-communicable diseases,” said Dr. Gwajima.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative, Dr. Tigest Ketsela Mengestu participated in the launch. She highlighted the success of the previous Health Sector Strategic Plan and pledged continued support in the implementation of the new plan. “We are aware of the plan on your table to institute Universal Health Insurance Scheme. Let us design together a common and mandatory insurance scheme that leverage on the legendary solidarity of Tanzanians to effectively identify and provide social health protection to the poorest at the grass root level,” said Dr. Mengestu.

The event was witnessed by senior Ministry of Health officials, bilateral and multilateral partners, representatives from UN Agencies, CSOs and NGOs and, members of the media.

This important milestone was preceded by the Mid Term Review of the Health Sector Strategic Plan IV 2020-2025 conducted in 2019. Some of the highlights of the mid-term review included: Significant reduction of under-five deaths, 23% decline in the incidence of malaria and commendable progress towards ending AIDS by 2030. This has been possible because of Government commitment, good planning at District level and strong partnerships leading to outstanding results. The findings of this Mid Term Review then fed into the development of the National Health Sector Strategic Plan V.

The main pillars of the plan launched in Dodoma are universal health coverage, people centered approach, interventions driven by evidence. WHO was privileged to be involved in all the stages towards the development of HSSP V and commits to provide the necessary strategic support and technical assistance to ensure that the theme of the launch, ‘Leave No One Behind’, is more than a slogan but a life reality for the country. 

The launch of the HSSP V is timely as the WHO Country Office is in the process of developing its WHO Country Cooperation Strategy 2021-2025 which defines the organization's cooperation with the Government for the next five years. As such the strategic document will match the national priorities taking care of any duplications of health partners efforts to reduce any economic inefficiencies and mobilizing the needed resources for the implementation of the plan.

The USAID Country Director, Andrew Karas applauded the Government for completion of the plan which he said if well implemented will positively impact on the health sector.