Dar es Salaam, 10 December 2015 - The WHO Tanzania country office provided the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare equipment to strengthen disease surveillance, nutrition and maternal and child health care services in the country.

Items handed over included: 2 vehicles, 5 resuscitation tables, 6 anaesthesia machines, 50 Fetal heart Doppler’s, 5 Portable ultrasound scanners, 4 Portable patient monitors, 2 Suction pumps, 2 Electronic intensive care ventilators, 2 ECG machines, 1 Ultrasound machine, 1 Printer and 2,000,000 RCH Cards, all worth a total of US$ 266,261 equivalent to Tanzania Shillings 580,448,980.

The handing over ceremony was presided by the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Mohammed Bakari Kambi; Deputy Permanent Secretary for Prime Minsters Office, Regional Administration and Local Government (PMORALG),Dr. Deo Mtasiwa; Acting Managing Director TFNC, Dr. Joyce Kaganda; and witnessed by the Director of Preventive Services, Dr. Neema Rusibamayila; Arusha Regional Medical Officer, Dr. Frida Mokiti and other Directors and Programme Officers from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the World Health Organization Representative for Tanzania, Dr. Rufaro Chatora, WHO staff and members of the media.

In his handing over speech, the WHO Representative, Dr Rufaro Chatora, commended the recent call by the Head of State for the nation to be involved in the Cholera control efforts. “We saw yesterday how starting with the Head of State himself, all wananchi throughout the country were involved in the clean-up exercise. This is commendable. We hope that this national clean up exercise continues. We must recognise that a clean safe environment contributes to health. Safe water contributes to health”, he said.

Dr. Chatora further commended the country for accelerating efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality noting the tremendous progress made in the attainment of MDG 4 and challenges that remain to ensure attainment of MDG 5. Remarks further mentioned the on-going efforts to scale up high impact nutrition interventions and disease surveillance in the context of IHR. He concluded by reassuring WHO’s commitment to work with partners to support the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in handling the public health challenges the country is facing.

In his acceptance speech, the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Mohammed Bakari highlighted achievements made so far in improving maternal, newborn and child health care services and the remarkable reductions of under-five child mortality. Citing challenges that still remain in providing regular supportive supervision to Regions , the Chief Medical Officer said that the vehicles handed over will complement the country’s efforts in meeting its IHR obligations and scaling up of high impact nutrition interventions. The Chief Medical Officer concluded by expressing appreciation to the World Health Organization, the United Nations family for the Health and Nutrition Working group, the Government of Canada and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the timely support to the people of Tanzania and assured that the equipment and vehicles will be used as intended.

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For more information, please contact:

Dr. Neema M. Kileo, National Professional Officer-Health Promotion, Mobile: 0755 551804/ 0655 551804, E.Mail:  kileon [at] who.int