KOICA donates over Sh120m for health

Dar es Salaam. Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has donated equipment worth Sh122.8 million ($54,000) to improve diagnostic capacity and maternal health services in Dar es Salaam Region.

The equipment - including, among others, the Infant Radiant Warmer, Ultra-sound System and X-ray processors - will be distributed to Ubungo and Sinza districts to alleviate the challenges of maternal health services.

Speaking during the handing over of the equipment, the South Korean Ambassador to Tanzania Geum Young Song said his country was committed and will continue to support Tanzania in ensuring that universal health coverage is attained.

“Our government is dedicated to supporting Tanzania as a way of enhancing the prosperity of the long-standing diplomatic ties and also to help the ministry of Health to improve the health of the people of Tanzania,” he said, adding that if the equipment were used efficiently, maternal health capacity would be improved.

The Ambassador also said he believed that the preservation of good relations that the two countries were enjoying will result in more opportunities for economic growth.

“If we continue safeguarding this relationship that we enjoy, we will flourish economically and get better in basic areas such as the health sector which requires special attention,” he said.

For his side the Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda assured the Korean embassy that the equipment will be used efficiently to curb the challenges that the region was facing.

“We will monitor how these facilities from South Korea are used so that we can enhance our efforts to curb maternal health challenges in the region and the country as a whole,” he said adding that, the government of Tanzania will continue cooperating with South Korea for more economic ties.