The United States and Tanzania have collaborated for decades to address critical health needs, with a focus on quality integrated services, health systems strengthening, and healthy behaviors. These efforts support Tanzania’s commitment to improve health outcomes and health care services, focusing on efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability. USAID’s work with the Government of Tanzania includes programs to address HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, family planning, reproductive health, nutrition, global health security, and maternal, newborn, and child health.
HIV/AIDS
Under the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, USAID supports Tanzania’s objective of achieving epidemic control by 2020, with 90 percent of people living with the disease aware of their status, 90 percent of those testing positive placed on treatment, and 90 percent of those on treatment reaching viral suppression. USAID supports prevention, care, and treatment alike to achieve the goal of an AIDS-free generation, including HIV testing for millions of Tanzanians, voluntary circumcision for nearly 700,000 men, and treatment for over 1 million HIV-positive individuals. Furthermore, USAID supports orphans and vulnerable children affected by the epidemic as well as their caregivers, connecting them to economic opportunities and key health services.
Malaria
Since 2005, USAID has supported efforts under the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) to improve prevention through insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs), indoor residual insecticide spraying, and prevention of malaria in pregnancy. Additionally, PMI activities control the spread of malaria by assisting prompt diagnosis and treatment, disease surveillance, human resources capacity, malaria awareness, and healthy behaviors. In partnership with Tanzania’s National Malaria Control Program and the Zanzibar Malaria Elimination Program, PMI efforts over the past decade have reached millions of people with life-saving prevention and treatment measures at hospitals, health facilities, and communities.
Tuberculosis (TB)
USAID’s tuberculosis strategy for Tanzania addresses operational challenges to preventing, detecting, and treating the disease. This includes improving access to patient-centered care for TB, TB/HIV coinfection, and multidrug-resistant TB, preventing transmission and progression, and improving Tanzania’s platforms for independently monitoring and responding to cases. USAID also supports the integration of TB and HIV services in priority regions, working with facilities to establish one-stop shop models of care and treatment.
Family Planning
To mitigate the potentially harmful effects of rapid population growth on economic growth, USAID supports voluntary family planning programs in Tanzania that improve contraceptive access in public health facilities, ensure consistent availability of family planning commodities, and raise awareness of available services through social marketing, mass media, and community outreach. USAID integrates these family planning interventions with other health services to fulfill unmet need and reduce maternal and child mortality.
Global Health Security
In support of the Global Health Security Agenda, a partnership of over 60 nations dedicated to mitigating pandemic threats, USAID works with the Government of Tanzania to prevent, detect, and respond to emerging infectious diseases. Recognizing the potential for crossover of animal-borne diseases into humans, USAID supports Tanzania’s “One Health” coordination desk, which unifies preparedness and response across sectors including public health, veterinary medicine, law enforcement, and environment/wildlife.
Maternal and Child Health
At the national level, USAID provides technical assistance to improve the quality of maternal, newborn, and child health programs. This includes the development of clinical guidelines for normal delivery and emergency obstetric and newborn care; support introducing new vaccines; and national behavior change campaigns informing mothers about important health services. Recent efforts have also focused on creating a framework for respectful maternity care.
Health Systems Strengthening
Health system challenges, such as stock outs of supplies, health care worker shortages, and insufficient financial resources impede Tanzania’s development goals. To improve service delivery and support Tanzania’s objective of universal health coverage, USAID works with the Government of Tanzania to fill gaps in the health workforce, improve information systems, and raise domestic financing through expanded health insurance coverage, increased governmental budget allocation, and more efficient use of funds.
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