Dar es Salaam. Wakati kesho Jumapili Mei 5, 2024 Tanzania ikiungana na mataifa mengine duniani kuadhimisha Siku ya Wakunga Duniani, Serikali kwa kushirikiana na wadau wa maendeleo wamezindua mradi wa ‘thamini uzazi salama’.
Mradi huo unalenga kuwaje unaolenga kuwajengea ujuzi wakunga ili kupunguza vifo vya kina na mama na watoto wachanga.
Mradi wenye thamani ya Sh22 bilioni unatekelezwa na Serikali kwa ushirikiano na Shirika la Global Affairs la Canada, Shirika la Umoja wa Mataifa la Idadi ya Watu Duniani (UNFPA) na wadau wengine.
Taarifa iliyotolewa leo Jumamosi Mei 4, 2024 na UNFPA, imeeleza kuwa mradi unalenga kuwafikia wajawazito 1,071,852, watoto wachanga 805,945 katika vituo vya afya 180, hospitali 12, kata 28 na vijiji 112 katika mikoa ya Dar es Salaam na Shinyanga.
Ofisa Mtendaji wa UNFPA nchini, Mellissa McNeil-Barrett amesema utaongeza kasi ya upatikanaji wa wakunga wenye ujuzi na ubora nchini. Amesema mradi huo utaimarisha uwezo wao wa kukuza taaluma ya ukunga nchini, sambamba na kuendeleza programu imara za mafunzo kwa wakufunzi wa ukunga.
McNeil-Barrett amesema dunia na Tanzania hivi sasa zinahitaji wakunga wa kitaalamu kuliko wakati mwingine wowote, lakini bado kuna msaada mdogo kwa kada hiyo.
Amefafanua kuwa wakunga hawahitaji tu vifaa bali wanahitaji mafunzo ya kina yatakayowawezesha kusimamia kujifungua kwa usalama, na kutambua matatizo yanayohatarisha maisha ya mama na mtoto.
“Uwekezaji na msaada zaidi unahitajika kila ngazi, kusaidia ukunga katika suala la ujuzi na vifaa,” amesema.
Naibu Balozi wa Canada nchini Tanzania, Helen Fytche amesema kumekuwa na maendeleo mazuri ikiwemo uwekezaji kwa wakunga katika kutekeleza majukumu yao.
Fytche amebainisha kuwa kwa mujibu wa takwimu za afya na demografia za Tanzania za mwaka 2022 zinaonyesha asilimia 85 ya huduma za kujifungua zilifanywa na mtoa huduma ya afya mwenye ujuzi, ikilinganishwa na asilimia 66 za mwaka 2015.
Akizindua mradi huo Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Dar es Salaam, Albert Chalamila alitaka Wizara ya Afya na Ofisi ya Rais – Tawala za Mikoa na Serikali za Mitaa kuhakikisha mradi huo unatekelezwa kwa ufanisi na kusimamiwa vizuri.
“Wakunga na wafanyakazi wa afya wafanye kazi kwa weledi na uzalendo ili kufikia lengo la kupunguza vifo vya akina mama, nawashukuru wadau wote wa maendeleo kwa kuungana na juhudi za Serikali za kuboresha afya ya akina mama na watoto nchini.”
“Haya ni maendeleo makubwa na tunapaswa kusherehekea mchango muhimu wa wakunga, tunahitaji kuendelea kufanya kazi pamoja kutatua changamoto zilizopo,” amesema Chalamila.
Source: mwananchi.co.tz
Share this news
This Year's Most Read News Stories
Zanzibar liquor importers face fresh hurdle despite court order
The liquor shortage in Zanzibar is far from over, even after a court order granted relief to the three importers.Continue Reading
Tanzania Confirms Outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease
Dodoma — Tanzania today confirmed an outbreak of Marburg virus disease in the northwestern Kagera region after one case tested positive for the virus following investigations and laboratory analysis of suspected cases of the disease.
President of the Republic of Tanzania, Her Excellency Samia Suluhu Hassan, made the announcement during a press briefing alongside World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in the country’s administrative capital Dodoma.
“Laboratory tests conducted in Kabaile Mobile Laboratory in Kagera and later confirmed in Dar es Salaam identified one patient as being infected with the Marburg virus. Fortunately, the remaining suspected patients tested negative,” the president said. “We have demonstrated in the past our ability to contain a similar outbreak and are determined to do the same this time around.”
A total of 25 suspected cases have been reported as of 20 January 2025, all of whom have tested negative and are currently under close follow-up, the president said. The cases have been reported in Biharamulo and Muleba districts in Kagera.
“We have resolved to reassure the general public in Tanzania and the international community as a whole of our collective determination to address the global health challenges, including the Marburg virus disease,” said H.E President Hassan.
WHO is supporting Tanzanian health authorities to enhance key outbreak control measures including disease surveillance, testing, treatment, infection prevention and control, case management, as well as increasing public awareness among communities to prevent further spread of the virus.
“WHO, working with its partners, is committed to supporting the government of Tanzania to bring the outbreak under control as soon as possible, and to build a healthier, safer, fairer future for all the people of Tanzania,” said Dr Tedros. “Now is a time for collaboration, and commitment, to protecting the health of all people in Tanzania, and the region, from the risks posed by this disease.”
Marburg virus disease is highly virulent and causes haemorrhagic fever. It belongs to the same family as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease. Illness caused by Marburg virus begins abruptly. Patients present with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise. They may develop severe haemorrhagic symptoms within seven days.
“The declaration by the president and the measures being taken by the government are crucial in addressing the threat of this disease at the local and national levels as well as preventing potential cross-border spread,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Our priority is to support the government to rapidly scale up measures to effectively respond to this outbreak and safeguard the health of the population,”
Tanzania previously reported an outbreak of Marburg in March 2023 – the country’s first – in Kagera region, in which a total of nine cases (eight confirmed and one probable) and six deaths were reported, with a case fatality ratio of 67%.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
In the African region, previous outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.
Marburg virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials. Although several promising candidate medical countermeasures are currently undergoing clinical trials, there is no licensed treatment or vaccine for effective management or prevention of Marburg virus disease. However, early access to treatment and supportive care – rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids – and treatment of specific symptoms, improve survival.
Source: allafrica.com
Zanzibar airport operators decry job losses over Dubai deal
Tanzania air operators say over 600 workers are set to lose their jobs after the semi-autonomous government of Zanzibar awarded a Dubai-based company exclusive rights to handle ground services at a refurbished airport.
The Tanzania Air Operators Association (Taoa) said in a statement that the contract awarded to Dnata, which is registered at the London Stock Exchange, was in breach of the law banning any company from having exclusive rights to ground-handling services at major airports.Continue Reading
