Private sector engagement crucial for sustainable healthcare in Tanzania
Zanzibar: WITH mutual trust, collaboration and transparency between the government and private health stakeholders are very crucial in ensuring the sustainability of health care services in the country.
Speaking during the 11th Tanzania Health Summit (THS) which was held in Zanzibar, the Director of Health, Social Welfare and Nutrition Services at the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government Authority), Dr Rashid Mfaume said that currently about 85% of health care services in Dar es Salaam are provided by private health care facilities.
‘The government has shown political will and implemented policies that create a conducive environment for private sector stakeholders to work towards achieving their goals while collaborating with the government’ said Dr Mfaume while speaking at a Health Forum organized by Deloitte with the support of PEPFAR through USAID.
The summit, which focused on private sector engagement in the HIV response at the primary health care level with one of the key discussed topics being the importance of engaging local donors and funders to support the sustainability of health projects, especially given the challenge of shrinking of international funds.
USAID Afya Yangu (My Health) Southern project works on serving the less privileged in the community and was launched in 2022. ‘USAID Afya Yangu is providing support to 752 Health Facilities (HFs) in 6 regions. Of the supported HFs, 145 (19.3%) are from private with 80,329 (27%) clients on ART which is more than any of the supported regions (Iringa is the largest with 65,468 clients)’ said Dr. Denis Mzaga, Director of Strategic Information for USAID Afya Yangu Southern.
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USAID Afya Yangu (My Health) Southern is a five-year (2021 – 2026) Project funded by the American People through USAID. The program is managed by Deloitte Consulting Limited (Contractor) together with its technical Subcontractors, Management and Development for Health (MDH) and T-MARC Tanzania and implemented by Local Government Authorities (LGAs), Health Facilities, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) in 43 councils in Iringa, Njombe, Morogoro, Lindi, Mtwara and Ruvuma. The project aims at supporting the Government of Tanzania’s (GOT) to deliver high quality integrated HIV and TB prevention care and treatment services through a comprehensive client centered approach. The project provides technical and material assistance, administrative and management support to the GOT through LGAs, public and private health facilities, and communities (CSOs & FBOs) to increase their capacity to manage and deliver quality HIV/TB services.
On his side, the Deputy Chief of Party for USAID Kizazi Hodari Southern Zone Kenneth Chima said despite these achievements, the projects still faces challenges due to limited funding and competing from the government priorities.
USAID Kizazi Hodari Southern Zone, is a five-year project which is being funded by PEPFAR through USAID, was highlighted as a good example of such private sector engagement. The project, which kicked off in 2022, works with 14 civil society organizations in Southern Tanzania and aims at improving health, well-being and protection of orphans, vulnerable children and youth in communities with high HIV burden.
To address these challenges, the project has initiated a strategy to mobilize resources from private sector stakeholders to support beneficiaries.
In a pilot initiative in Njombe, USAID Kizazi Hodari Southern Zone raised Tzs 142 million to support agricultural projects, vocational training for youth and soft loans for women in Ruvuma.
On his closing remarks, USAID Tanzania Head of System Strengthening, Godfrey Nyombi said that USAID works in supporting government health projects that touches lives of Tanzanians from grassroots level with an aim of improving lives.
USAID is very proud of this health forum which highlight the achievements of projects that we have been funding. We will continue working and collaborating with the Tanzania government for purpose of making lives of Tanzanians and especially those living in rural areas better.
Currently, Deloitte is Managing Implementation of two Health Projects in Tanzania for PEPFAR and USAID/Tanzania. These are USAID Afya Yangu (My Health) Southern Project and USAID Kizazi Hodari (Brave Generation) Southern Project and are being funded by PEPFAR and USAID.
