Global Health - Tanzania

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Through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), CDC supports the Ministry of Health to implement effective and efficient HIV programs, develop new guidelines and strategies to offer treatment to all people living with HIV, and provide prevention and treatment services to key populations. Other support includes targeted HIV counseling and testing services, HIV-tuberculosis (TB) integrated service delivery, early infant diagnosis. CDC also supports strengthening health systems, including: building country capacity in workforce development; high quality laboratory networks; epidemiology; surveillance; health information systems; and monitoring and evaluating program performance and adapting services to respond to changes in the local epidemic.

As part of the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative, CDC and USAID assigned resident advisors to Tanzania to support the Ministry of Health in implementing malaria prevention and control interventions, including vector control; providing long-lasting insecticide mosquito nets and indoor residual spraying; preventing malaria in pregnancy; improving diagnostics and case management; and monitoring and evaluating malaria-related activities. PMI’s current universal coverage campaign for bed nets plans to reach 22 million people.

Through the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) and FELTP, CDC’s Division of Global Health Protection helped the Ministry of Health establish Tanzania’s first public health emergency operations center (EOC), which is responding to the 2015-16 cholera epidemic. CDC also supports the implementation and strengthening of the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response System, which serves as the detection and reporting system for reportable diseases in Tanzania.

CDC supports the Ministry of Health’s training program to develop a public health workforce that can detect and respond to health threats locally and nationally. Public health professionals learn to properly investigate disease outbreaks and epidemics and monitor disease surveillance systems, focusing especially on HIV-related problems. FELTP recently implemented a 3-tiered approach including basic, intermediate, and 2-year training programs.

Through the CDC Foundation, in collaboration with Bloomberg Philanthropies and Fondation H&B Agerup, CDC provides monitoring and evaluation support to the Reducing Maternal Mortality in Tanzania Project. CDC continues its work in Kigoma through increasing skilled birth attendance and meeting the need for emergency obstetric and neonatal care (EmONC) and contraceptive prevalence. CDC assesses the project by evaluating the region’s maternal health needs, outcomes, and experience with EmONC, comprehensive post-abortion care, and family planning services. The CDC Foundation also provides technical assistance to mHealth Tanzania Public Private Partnership for its “Health Pregnancy, Healthy Baby” text messaging service. This service provides critical maternal and child health messages to 1.25 million subscribers in Tanzania.

In 2008, the Ministry of Health, with CDC assistance, established the National Influenza Laboratory in Dar es Salaam and initiated virologic and epidemiologic influenza sentinel surveillance. This surveillance enhancement contributed to the country’s timely response to Rift Valley fever in 2007, the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, and the dengue fever outbreak in 2010.

CDC supports strengthening laboratory infrastructure and building capacity of laboratorians for HIV diagnosis, disease staging, therapeutic monitoring, and quality assurance. With CDC assistance, the National Influenza Laboratory’s capacity enhanced to become the first National Health Laboratory and Quality Assurance Training Center, and more than 700 additional laboratories have been strengthened throughout Tanzania. CDC also helped to launch the Lab Logistics System, which provides critical data on laboratory consumption to assist with tracking, managing, and resupplying laboratory materials. Five labs have been accredited to International Standards ISO15189 and 72 labs are enrolled in WHO’s Strengthening Laboratory Management toward Accreditation program.

CDC supports rotavirus vaccine and intussusception surveillance, and monitors surveillance of measles, polio, rubella, and HPV vaccination in targeted areas of Tanzania.

In 2004, with CDC support, the Ministry of Health established a centralized, coordinated National Blood Transfusion Service. In 2013, CDC conducted a blood needs survey in Tanzania which found an increase in overall blood collection and a decrease in units testing positive for HIV. CDC financial support for blood safety ended in 2015 and operational support transitioned to the Ministry of Health. CDC continues to provide technical assistance in three areas: the national blood electronic computer system, internal and external quality assurance, and support for national accreditation for zonal blood centers.