Tanzania, Denmark expanded cooperation in public health systems

DODOMA: TANZANIA and Denmark have agreed to strengthen cooperation in public health as the East African nation advances plans to establish a National Public Health Institute aimed at enhancing disease surveillance, outbreak preparedness, and health research.

The commitment was reached during talks on June 2 between the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Seif Shekalaghe, and a delegation of Danish health experts that included representatives from the Danish Embassy, Denmark’s Ministry of the Interior and Health, and the country’s infectious disease control agency.

The discussions focused on key public health priorities, including efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance, strengthen disease detection and response systems, and improve public health surveillance through the application of modern technologies and data-driven approaches.

The meeting also explored opportunities for collaboration as Tanzania moves closer to establishing a National Public Health Institute, a move expected to strengthen the country’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to health emergencies.

Denmark pledged to support Tanzania’s efforts by sharing technical expertise and institutional experience gained through the development of its own public health systems.

According to officials, the proposed institute will serve as a central hub for public health research, disease intelligence, and emergency preparedness.

It is also expected to strengthen health information systems and promote the use of scientific disciplines such as microbiology, epidemiology, and bioinformatics to guide policy decisions and public health interventions.

The initiative comes as governments across Africa seek to bolster public health institutions following lessons learned from recent disease outbreaks and global health crises, which exposed weaknesses in surveillance and response systems worldwide.

Speaking during the meeting, Dr Shekalaghe commended the longstanding partnership between Tanzania and Denmark, noting that the two countries have maintained close cooperation for more than six decades.

He said the government remained committed to deepening collaboration with Denmark and other development partners in areas that support Tanzania’s health sector transformation agenda.

“Our cooperation with Denmark has continued to grow over the past 61 years, and we highly value the contribution this partnership has made to strengthening health services and institutional capacity in Tanzania,” Dr Shekalaghe said.

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The enhanced partnership is expected to support the government’s broader objective of building a resilient health system capable of effectively addressing emerging public health threats while improving healthcare outcomes for citizens.

Health sector stakeholders say stronger international collaboration, coupled with investments in research and surveillance infrastructure, will be critical in helping countries respond to increasingly complex public health challenges, including antimicrobial resistance and emerging infectious disease