Tanzania government suspends USAID funded family planning advertisements

What you need to know:

  • In a leaked letter, which has gone viral on social media, the permanent secretary for the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children has ordered the organisations-FHI and USAID Tulonge Afya to stop airing all content on family planning until it is revised by the government.

Dar es Salaam. The government on Wednesday, September 19, wrote a letter to organisations carrying out family planning activities in Tanzania to recall advertising spots in local media.

In a leaked letter, which has gone viral on social media, the permanent secretary for the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children has ordered the organisations-FHI and USAID Tulonge Afya to stop airing all content on family planning until it is revised by the government.

The Citizen has confirmed the authenticity of letter through government sources but it's not yet clear how it was leaked and by who.  Dated on September 19, it was signed by the PS Dr Mpoki Ulisubisya.

"The ministry intends to revise the contents of all your ongoing Radio and TV spots for family planning, thus I request you to stop with immediate effect airing and publishing any family planning contents in any media channels until further notice," reads the letter in part. 

However, the letter,says that the Ministry acknowledges the efforts being undertaken by the organizations in supporting family planning activities.