Tanzania: Zanzibar, Us Discuss 8.2tri/ – Health Deal
Zanzibar — ZANZIBAR’S Ministry of Health has held talks with the United States Embassy in Tanzania on the implementation of a health-sector cooperation agreement between Tanzania and the US, valued at approximately 3.1 billion US dollar (about 8.2tri/-).
The meeting brought together the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, senior directors and health experts, alongside a team from the US Embassy, to discuss how the planned investment and cooperation could align with Zanzibar government priorities and deliver tangible improvements in healthcare services.
Permanent Secretary of the Zanzibar Ministry of Health, Dr Mngereza Mzee Miraji, said the meeting marked an important step towards developing a clear implementation plan for the agreement.
He said Zanzibar would seek to link opportunities arising from the cooperation with investments already being made by the Zanzibar government in the health sector.
“Zanzibar has significantly increased investment in healthcare compared with previous years. Over the past five years, the government has invested nearly 130bn/-, while about 1.016tri/- is planned for the sector over the next five years,” Dr Miraji said.
He stressed the importance of ensuring that international support complements the government’s own plans so that available resources are used efficiently and contribute to ongoing efforts to improve healthcare.
According to Dr Miraji, key areas discussed included human resources, laboratory services and health information systems.
He said Zanzibar needed sufficient numbers of skilled health professionals whose knowledge and expertise could keep pace with technological developments and the changing demands of modern healthcare.
The cooperation is expected to provide an opportunity to strengthen capacity in these areas while improving systems required to deliver quality health services.
The Head of the Cooperation Office at the US Embassy in Tanzania, Ms Jessica Greene who led a team of health experts at the meeting, said the partnership would draw on US experience and expertise to support the strengthening of Zanzibar’s health systems.
She said the cooperation would be guided by the needs and priorities identified by the Zanzibar Ministry of Health rather than imposing external priorities.
“Close cooperation between the Zanzibar Ministry of Health and the US Embassy will help ensure that the agreed areas are addressed systematically and in line with the objectives set out in the agreement,” Ms Greene said.
The discussions are part of broader efforts to translate the Tanzania-US health cooperation agreement into practical interventions at the local level.
For Zanzibar, the partnership is expected to complement government investment by expanding access to expertise, technology and resources in critical areas of healthcare.
The two sides are expected to continue consultations to identify priority areas and establish mechanisms for implementing the agreed programmes.
The cooperation comes as Zanzibar seeks to strengthen its health system through increased investment in infrastructure, human resources, laboratories and modern health information systems.
By Daily News.
