Health Policy and Implementations in Tanzania

Abstract

This paper describes the current health policy in Tanzania and its implementations. The present health policy in Tanzania originated from Arusha declaration of 1967, the country's most popular national policy after independence. Arusha declaration proclaims socialism and self-reliance, which has had important impact on the form and content of the present country's health policy in mainland Tanzania. Much of the wide-spread health care services infrastructure that is evident now in rural areas of Tanzania mainland is a result of the re-emphasis of the Arusha declaration in 1971. In Tanzania, the Ministry of Health has the responsibility for elaborating the health policy, ensuring that strategies and appropriate program are developed to give effect to the policy. In the present health policy discussed, the goal is seen to have shifted from having one dispensary in each village to one primary health unit in each village. One dispensary is intended to serve several villages together. In Tanzania, according to the present health policy, the village primary health care are mainly preventive oriented and only being managed by short term trained health staff. The candidate for training in each village is selected, among the village residents, by the villagers themselves. The primary health care system adopted by Tanzania is viewed as the only way through which it can achieve the social goal of health for everyone by the year 2000, provided the present political will which is evident continue, and enough availability of, human, financial and material resources. In additional to international effort required in Tanzania's economy, local initiative is important in the achievement of national policy objectives of which national health policy objectives form the part. The areas of success in implementation of the health system in Tanzania are discussed, pointing out areas in which implementations are unsatisfactory. © 1989, The Keio Journal of Medicine. All rights reserved.