Health in Tanzania
[4] When looking at the right to health with respect to children, Tanzania achieves 92.5% of what is expected based on its current income.
[5] In regards to the right to health amongst the adult population, the country achieves only 85.8% of what is expected based on the nation's level of income.
Both maternal and child health are interdependent and substantially contributing to high burden of mortality worldwide.
[8] Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), which includes Tanzania, contribute higher proportion of maternal and child mortality.
Due to considerable proportion of mortality being attributed by maternal and child health, the United Nations together with other international agencies incorporated the two into Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5.
In this regard, Tanzania through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW) adopted different strategies and efforts to promote safe motherhood and improve child survival.
Complications during pregnancy and childbirth are a leading cause of death and disability among women of reproductive age in developing countries.
The slow progress in reducing maternal mortality on mainland Tanzania is compounded by the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
[15] This indicator is directly linked to a process of giving birth by pregnant woman, and most of maternal mortality are likely to happen at this stage.
Most maternal deaths result from haemorrhage, complications of unsafe abortion, pregnancy-induced hypertension, sepsis and obstructed labour.
[19] President Jakaya Kikwete in May 2014 appealed to health workers in Tanzania to ensure that lives of women and children are not at risk during delivery.
[20] In Tanzania, two thirds of women give birth in their own homes, because there are very few health facilities within reach that can provide life-saving emergency services.
[21] Every year in Africa, at least 125,000 women and 870,000 newborns die in the first week after birth, yet this is when coverage and programmes are at their lowest along the continuum of care.
[23] Factors limiting contraceptive prevalence in Tanzania include widespread misconceptions and concerns about side-effects, low acceptance of long–acting methods, erratic supplies and a limited range of choices, gaps in provider knowledge and skills (along with provider bias), competing priorities pursuing scarce resources, limited male involvement, poor communication between spouses, and the perceived value of large families also contribute to low use of family planning methods.
[36]The government of Tanzania via the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, has urged in 2012 partners and stakeholders in the country to join the National Immunization Coordination Committee to ensure that all children in Tanzanian are covered.
[37] An Electronic Immunisation Register has been established, which permits online access to the medical records of mothers and infants, enabling vaccination teams in remote areas to operate more effectively, especially with nomadic people.
[41] A multivariate analysis using 2010 TDHS data[41] revealed that the risk of delayed initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour after birth was significantly higher among young mothers aged <24 years, uneducated and employed mothers from rural areas who delivered by caesarean section and those who delivered at home and were assisted by traditional birth attendants or relatives.
The risk factors associated with non-exclusive breastfeeding, during the first 6 months, were lack of professional assistance at birth and residence in urban areas.
In 2011 according to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates on child malnutrition in Tanzania, children aged <5 years stunted was 34.8% in 2011; underweight was 13.6% in 2011; wasted was 6.6% in 2011 and overweight was 5.5% in 2010.
[42] The case in Tanzania, is inconsistent with the common assumption that increasing agriculture and food production will automatically lead to improvements in nutrition.
The third sustainable development goal aims to enhance healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages.
The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Tanzania is characterised by substantial difference across age, gender, geographical location and socioeconomic status implying variation in the risk of transmission of infection.
In the UNICEF Pneumonia and Diarrhea Report 2016, there are strategies outlined for the low income countries to adopt in the fight against these two leading killer diseases.
However, the EPI has included the pentavalent vaccine which protects against Haemophilus influenzae, a common cause of pneumonia.
Through various sector reform programmes, The National established Occupational Health and Safety Authority under The Executive Agency Act No.
[65] Every individual worker needs good working environment that is safe and free from any kind of life - threatening hazards.
This may be possible where most if not all health risks are identified at workplace and correct measures are put in place and adhered by all workers around.
[67] Report from National Audit office (NAO) showed that construction/building industry had highest Fatality rate of 23.7% followed by Transport and mining/quarrying that had 20.6% and 20.5 respectively (table 1 below).
however the major challenge in these information is validity and reliability as the reporting and data keeping system in Tanzania is not well coordinated.
Table 1: Fatality Rate sectorwise Source: NAO report- Performance Audit Report on the Management of Occupational Health and Safety in Tanzania, 2013.
