Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE government has received at least 500m/- worth of medical equipment that aims to contain HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) which will be distributed to 14 health centres across the country
The selected centres are among those operated under Prisons and Police forces. The medical devices were handed over yesterday in Dodoma by Tanzania Health Promotion Support (THPS) under the project of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Police and Prisons activity.
Receiving the equipment that included 10 GeneXpert that used to detect the presence of Tuberculosis bacteria and 10 microscopes (i-LED), the Minister for Home Affairs, Mr George Simbachawene, said the equipment will be helpful in improving health of forces’ staff, prisoners and the community members surrounding them.
Mr Simbachawene disclosed that during 2019, a total of 705 patients were diagnosed with tuberculosis in all 64 health facilities and treatment started immediately.
He said that the provided medical devices would promote health services, while also saying that the equipment will reduce the deficiency of the TB/HIV testing at the health centres under the forces.
Mr Simbachawene challenged the staff to take care of the equipment to ensure sustainability.
“For those who will be trained to operate the equipment, please don’t shift them from the centres, because if you move them away you will have to train other staff to operate that machine, which will add a burden to the government,” he warned.
THPS Executive Director, Dr Redempta Mbatia said that in collaboration with the ministry, the project has successfully visited all 64 centres and identified the realities of the facilities as well as the existing challenges.
She said that most of the centres faces scarcity of staff, shortage of medical equipment, thus why the institution decided to cooperate with the government to solve them.
Dr Mbatia said the project in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children also has managed to run training in 12 different AIDS and Tuberculosis interventions, where preliminary research found that very few health staff had been trained in new interventions to combat the two diseases.
“THPS in collaboration with relevant units (Prisons Health and Nutrition Unit and Police Medical Unit) believe together we will improve the health of the beneficiaries and create a conducive environment to provide health care,” Dr Mbatia said.
For his part, Commissioner General of Prisons, Mr Suleiman Mzee expressed his sincere thanks to THPS and USAID for their contribution to improving the prison health centers.
The equipment will be distributed in 14 health centres under Police force and Prison in regions of Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kilimanjaro, Manyara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Shinyanga, Tabora, Tanga and Zanzibar.
