Deputy Minister, Community Development, Gender and Children, Ms Ummy Mwalimu.Deputy Minister, Community Development, Gender and Children, Ms Ummy Mwalimu.
Written by DEUS NGOWI
PUBLIC Private Partnership Policy in the health sector has been approved and its guidelines will soon be available for operation.
That was said on Thursday here by the Deputy Minister, Community Development, Gender and Children, Ms Ummy Mwalimu, when officiating annual meeting of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) partners in health services.
"Various types of partnerships are highlighted. And with emphasis, contracting health services from you partners will be cheaper if compared to actual costs of establishing a health unit," noted the Deputy Minister.
She said the appointment of faith-based hospitals to be referral hospitals at regional level aims at improving referral mechanism and make services available more close to those in need.
In collaboration with private health providers pioneered by Christian Social Services Commission (CSSC), the Government in 2007, signed service agreement document that would guide robust partnerships among councils and private providers in providing wide range of services.
ELCT health programme cover a wide range of activities that facilitate better provision of health services to people in need. The base of the programmes has been capacity building, facilitation, advocacy and reinforcing use of policies and guidelines.
The Deputy Minister stressed the importance of ELCT deliberating on reproductive health including ensuring availability and access of family planning information and services.
The 2012 National Census reveals that the population growth in the country is 2.6 per cent. Speaking at the occasion, the ELCT Northern Zone Bishop, Dr Martin Shao, said the church has been focusing on making social services accessible to the poor, the weak, and the marginalized.
ELCT has 24 hospitals and about 150 dispensaries and health centres, training institutions and public health programmes. The Bishop commended the government for creating and maintaining conducive environment for faith-based organizations and others to deliver health and other social services.
"In fact, the Government of Tanzania goes an extra mile by making available salaries, drugs and bed grants to many hospitals owned and managed by faith-based organizations," he said.
The government supports specific efforts, including essential medicines for major diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, leprosy and malaria among others, and supplies for disease prevention, such as vaccines.
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