Tanzania has led a robust multi-sectoral effort to tackle AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis through prevention, care, treatment, and support services. Tanzania had an impressive national scale-up of antiretroviral treatment, which resulted in a tenfold increase in the number of patients enrolled in treatment from 2005 to 2012. Over 26 million mosquito nets were distributed through the vouchers scheme, under-5 and the universal campaign. The rates of tuberculosis detection and treatment have increased dramatically, and TB deaths are declining. However, challenges remain. Tanzania has a high HIV prevalence, and the rate of HIV infection is high. Malaria is the single most significant disease in Tanzania, and the country has the third-largest population at risk of stable malaria in Africa. TB continues to be a major public health problem, more than 20 years after launching the national TB program. The rapid increase of TB in Tanzania is mainly attributed to the HIV epidemic, but factors like population growth and urban overcrowding have also contributed.

AHO PRIORITIES FOR HEALTH DELIVERY PLAN IN TANZANIA

1. Prevent, control, and reduce communicable diseases, with emphasis on the broad range of diseases that affect the health of the Tanzanian population (vector-borne, STI, HIV/AIDS, diarrheal diseases, respiratory infections, tuberculosis, emerging diseases, including resistance to antibiotics, vaccine-preventable diseases, and leprosy).
2. Healthy growth and development. To this end, care will focus on mothers, children, and adolescents. Addressing maternal mortality will be a key objective of technical cooperation, as will infant mortality, with emphasis on neonatal mortality; malnutrition; psychosocial development, and a healthy school environment; and healthy lifestyles for adolescents. Most behavioural risks to health should be addressed by technical cooperation.
3. Disaster preparedness, management, and response. Special attention will be given to mitigation, with the focus on public water utilities, sanitary infrastructure, and health services.
4. Achievement of universal access to health systems that are integrated, equitable, and sustainable, reorienting health sector reform to strengthen the steering role of the health authorities and the essential public health functions; and development of human resources for health to help attain greater coverage, effectiveness, and efficiency of health services at the national and institutional levels, prioritizing the first level of care and community participation.
5. Promote the incorporation of health issues in social, economic, environmental, and development policies, promoting the concept of health in human development among policymakers and the drafting of health legislation.
6. Develop and strengthen the capacity to collect, analyse, and disseminate health information, prioritizing vital statistics and data analysis to facilitate timely information on the country’s health situation.

RESOURCES (USD)

AHO TANZANIA 2020 (USD million)* based on the 2017 population of 57.31 million, World Bank

AHO estimates that it needs to spend at least USD100 per capita on health to meet the basic health needs of the people in Africa. This is too far below developed countries e.g. in England it is US$1,300 per capita (2017)