Africa-Press – Tanzania. FORMER President, Jakaya Kikwete has expressed his satisfaction with the performance of Benjamin Mkapa Foundation (BMF), especially in maintaining its key role of supporting the government in improving healthcare services in the country.
The BMF was founded by the third phase President, the late Benjamin Mkapa in 2006, to supplement and complement government efforts in enhancing the country’s health sector.
The fourth phase President made the remarks in Dar es Salaam yesterday during a special symposium organised by BMF in honour of Mkapa’s life and legacy a year after his death. He said the Foundation has played well in improving health care, especially to underserved communities.
“I’m happy to say that BMF was born, grew and strived during my administration, I gave it all the needed support just to make sure it stands on its feet and realises its vision and mission,” said the former president.
According to him, at the time when BMF was established, Tanzania was at the grip of the menace of HIV, malaria, Tuberculosis (TB) as well as a serious shortage of health personnel across the country.
“But the BMF volunteered to work with the government to find home grown solutions to these challenges facing the health sector, which the results we are seeing today,” he noted.
The retired President also explained that getting skilled staff to work for health facilities especially in rural settings was one of the toughest challenges that the administration of the fourth phase government faced, since most of the employees weren’t ready to be stationed in remote areas.
Expounding, Mr Kikwete said as part of a strategy to complement efforts by his administration in implementing primary health care policy, the foundation recruited health care staff, constructed 482 staff houses as well as provided scholarships to 937 health workers.
“Here is where the government came to employ those who were recruited under BMF, it became easy because the Foundation provided the entire supportive infrastructure that attracts health staff to stay in rural areas,” noted the former President.
Mr Kikwete further described his predecessor as a very bright person, visionary, hardworking and very eloquent both in writing and speech. “He was also a great Pan- Africanist and a wavering believer and promoter of African and regional integration.
The late Mkapa was also an uncompromising person on issues he had a strong belief in,” he explained. Adding; “he was tough and rough when it was necessary for him to be, but he was a very compassionate person who cared for the sick, poor, suffering and disadvantaged”.
He said even after he became president, Mkapa was one of his closest confidants and reliable advisors, saying celebrating his life and living his legacy was one of the greatest things to do.
He further explained that the example of President Mkapa of establishing his foundation got him inspired to establish the Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete foundation upon his retirement which majors on maternal, newborn and adolescent health.
“We join forces with BMF and other players in fighting HIV, for we know that when fighting maternal born, HIV should be in the list of the battle,” he explained.
