World Bank expert: Revamp health system
The minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ms Ummy Mwalimu, is briefed by Tundwa Medical and Health Services Head of Health and Safety, Dr Julius Songopa, on first aid services in Dodoma yesterday where she officiated the 6th Tanzania Health Summit. PHOTO | CORRESPONDENT
Dodoma. A senior World Bank (WB) official said yesterday that Tanzania’s current health system needs major revamping if the country is to decisively address the disease burden—presently and in the future.
The WB’s senior health specialist in Tanzania Country Office, Dr Peter Okwero, said the current efforts in addressing health system challenges have largely focused on building more health facilities, yet more is still wanting in building human capital.
Dr Okwero was delivering a keynote presentation during the Sixth Tanzania Health Summit (THS) in Dodoma where policy makers and private health stakeholders are discussing health sector development, under the theme: Health System Improvement in Tanzania: Efficiency and Impact. During the summit, graced by Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children minister Ummy Mwalimu, the WB specialist cited data indicating that Tanzania is highly burdened by diseases and is among the top 20 countries with the highest number of people with HIV, malaria and tuberculosis, yet investment ‘isn’t yet strategic.’
“Investment is oriented more towards facility based curative services, majority of which are not fully functional for the stated category,” said Dr Okwero.
For her part, Ms Mwalimu said the current health system challenges will be addressed through current policy transformations.
