4th December 2018, Zanzibar: The President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, Dr. Ali Mohamed Shein received the newly appointed WHO Representative to United Republic of Tanzania Dr. Tigest Ketsela in the State House early in December 2018. During the meeting, His Excellency the President acknowledged the continued support of the World Health Organization since the early 1950’s to improve the health status of Tanzanian and Zanzibar population. He sighted the reduction of malaria related morbidities and mortalities and the control of cholera as examples of good collaboration in Zanzibar. Present during the occasion were Honorable  Hamad Rashid Mohammed, Minister of Health, The Chief Secretary to the Cabinet Honorable Dr. Abdulhamid Yahya Mzee and other government officials.

Before meeting the President, Dr. Tigest Ketsela had a courtesy call to the Honorable Minister of Health, Honorable Hamad Rashid Mohammed and his team. The MOH has also expressed their appreciation on the collaboration of WHO with the MOH and thanked WHO for being with the MOH during development and health emergencies.

The Honorable Minister and his team requested WHO to continue supporting the MOH in strengthening the areas of sustainable health financing, human resource for health, maternal and child health, Non-Communicable Diseases and health emergencies among others. The WHO representative in her part, congratulated the Ministry of Health and Government of Zanzibar for the remarkable achievements in the areas of malaria control, reversing HIV/AIDS epidemic, crafting and implementing tobacco control and for being free from cholera for the past 16 months. She reiterated and assured WHO’s continued collaboration and support in her tenure as WHO representative to the United Republic of Tanzania. Present during the occasion were the Principal Secretary of the MOH Madam Asha A. Abdulla, the Deputy Principal Secretary Madam Halima Salum, the Director of Preventive Services, Dr. Fadhil Abdalla and the WHO Liaison Officer to Zanzibar Dr. Ghirmay Andemichael Redae.