Written by Dr Charles Sagoe-Moses, Country Representative, World Health Organization Tanzania

Dar es Salaam: Every year on the 07th of April, the World Health Organization (WHO) joins member states, the international community, local and international organizations to celebrate World Health Day to provide a global opportunity to focus attention on important public health issues and advance the universal health coverage agenda for all.

This year’s theme, ‘My health, my right’, champions the right of everyone, everywhere to have access to quality health services, education, and information, as well as safe drinking water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working, environmental conditions, and freedom from discrimination.

My Health, My Rights

The world is embroiled in multiple crises – from disasters to conflict to the climate emergency, threatening the right to health of millions globally, with those facing marginalization or vulnerability suffering the most. 

Advancing health as a human right requires addressing the social, economic, and environmental factors that shape health outcomes. This includes promoting gender equality, ensuring access to clean water and sanitation, and tackling the root causes of malnutrition and non-communicable diseases.

The right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health is enshrined in several international legal instruments including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. It includes freedoms and entitlements. Freedoms include the right to control one’s health and body and to be free from interference (for example, free from torture and non-consensual medical treatment and experimentation, particularly relevant for persons with disabilities).

Respecting our right to health means respecting our rights to access safe drinking water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working conditions, and freedom from violence and discrimination.

Tanzania’s health agenda

Tanzania continues to endeavor to achieve the health for all agenda, adhering to the rights of everyone and ensuring it is encapsulated in policies and interventions. The World Health Organization (WHO) together with successive governments and partners, continue to intervene and demonstrate an unwavering commitment to health for all.

Together, we have collaborated to explore ways to strengthen health systems, improve access to essential healthcare services and promote health literacy and awareness.

In 2022, the country office in close collaboration with stakeholders developed a six-year Country Cooperation Strategic (CCS) plan (2022-2027). This is the WHO’s Corporate Framework Strategy in response to country needs and priorities in line with the thirteenth health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). It provides a medium-term strategic cooperation framework for the WHO in achieving the health strategic priorities of the United Republic of Tanzania. The time frame tallies with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for Tanzania. The priorities are aligned with the National Health Sector Strategic Plan, SDGs, GPW13, and UNSDCF. 

With support from our partners, WHO Tanzania has and will continue to support the country in strategic and policy dialogues to help maintain a health system that can provide accessible, affordable, quality, comprehensive and integrated care for universal health coverage and health equity in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Through addressing major health outbreaks like COVID-19, Marburg virus as well as strengthening preparedness through the several capacity building and training for health workers and resourcing health facilities to be fit for purpose. 

We cannot talk about Tanzania’s major health achievements without noting the decline in maternal death, the efforts to reach every child with vaccines, addressing HIV/TB /Hepatitis, malaria and communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Yet, our work is far from complete. To realize the vision of health for all and advance individual rights to access health care, we must redouble our efforts to address the underlying determinants of health, including poverty, inequality, and inadequate infrastructure. We must continue to invest in primary healthcare and community-based services to ensure that no one is left behind.

Partnership for health

Beyond these, there is the need for strategic partnerships for the health agenda of Tanzania. We have seen committed governance towards the health agenda, we have seen great interest and investments but  there is more room for improvement.

Another untapped area is social and citizen participation. Though quite challenging, social participation, that is, involving the public in health decision-making through town-hall meetings and citizen assemblies, focus groups and consultations, health councils, and representation on steering groups and review boards, helps governments assess the health needs of populations and act on them to be able to extend access to quality healthcare and allow everyone, everywhere to live a healthy life.

If the theme is anything to go by, we as stakeholders are encouraged to invest in health as the country’s bottom line depends on it, because healthy and strong citizens means a strong and functional workforce ready to drive the country’s growth.