Improvement of Health Care in Tanzania

projekt beendet

ContextTanzania’s National Health Sector Strategic Plan (2015 – 2020) aims to facilitate access for the country’s 54 million people to basic health services that meet objective quality criteria and are more strongly geared to the needs and expectations of the population. Although Tanzania is making steady progress in this area, the qualitative and quantitative supply of health services is still insufficient to meet the needs of the ever-growing population, in particular, women of reproductive age, new-borns and children. In addition, access to services needs to be ensured for every citizen ("Universal Health Coverage") without risk of impoverishment.The project aims to improve the performance of the health system in the partner regions, Mbeya and Tanga, through digitalisation of key work processes and capacity development of key players to plan and provide essential health services, and to expand coverage of social health protection in the event of illnessObjectiveCitizens of the partner regions have improved access to quality-assured health services.ApproachThe programme will be implemented from 2019 to 2022 and operates mainly in the regions of Mbeya and Tanga and in limited areas also in Lindi and Mtwara. It contributes to the key objectives of Tanzania’s National Health Sector Strategic Plan IV: to reach all households with essential and good quality health and social welfare services.Selected District and Regional Hospitals will introduce and/or expand the nationally recommended digitalised systems. Users will be trained and mentored in their use and new tools for users’ support be established. Additionally, the team will create user feedback mechanisms and form linkages with other information systems.Working with health facility teams and communities on participatory planning, use of better quality data and effective allocation of resources will improve accountability and transparency towards the beneficiaries of the services. These efforts will be geared to guarantee the success of the National Direct Health Facility Financing Strategy.Another programmatic focus is on enhancing and expanding obstetric and new-born care services and making basic and comprehensive emergency care available to mothers and critical babies. Family planning options will also be expanded and integrated into other services at health centres and hospitals to reach men and women during the post-partum period.Initially, the program facilitated the transition of the Community Health Funds (CHF) to the "improved CHF" model and has established core structures and processes in Mbeya, Tanga, Mtwara and Lindi. It is now mentoring first experiences with implementation to ensure that core capacities are fully functional, i.e. health care services are accessible for the beneficiaries and that health facilities are compensated adequately and in a timely manner, when this support is phased out by February 2020.Subcontracts to consulting companies are still to be identified.

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