Tanzania’s Minister of Health Hon. Ummy Mwalimu recently disclosed to the media that the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Bill will be read again in Parliament on 31st January 2023, and is expected to come into effect in July of the same year.
The much-awaited universal health coverage means that every Tanzanian citizen, or resident in Tanzania, should have health insurance, whether working or not, which will take care of their health in the country.
Dr. Baghayo Saqware Commissioner of the Tanzania Insurance Regulatory Authority (TIRA), explained that “Once the bill is passed and enacted by Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan, it will be enforced after six months of transition to prepare for the implementation.”
The bill was first tabled in parliament in September 2022, after being postponed for several years, and was to be read for a second time on 11th November to be deliberated and passed. However, the parliament decided to return it to the Social Services and Community Development Committee for further consultations.
In addition, Hon. Mwalimu also disclosed that government, through the Ministry Of Health, expects to come up with a guideline for medical expenses in public health service centers in the country, which is expected to come into effect in February 2023.
She made the announcement when she made a surprise visit to the Temeke regional referral hospital to see the state of health care provision as well as listen to the concerns, advice and opinions of the people on the availability of health care services in the country.
Minister Mwalimu said that previously there was no specific guideline for the costs of seeing a doctor, thus causing many centres that provide health services to have different costs that are not compatible, thus causing more inconvenience to the people.
She said that maternity, mother, and child services will continue to be provided free of charge and asked the service providers to comply with the government’s instructions and not to charge the public for these services.
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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%.
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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
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