Govt commits to strong PPP for health sector improvement

KILIMANJARO: THE government has reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with stakeholders in the health sector to improve healthcare services across the country.

The pledge was made by the Director of Training and Human Resources Development at the Ministry of Health, Dr Saitori Laizer, during the AfroRehab 2023: Building Master’s Programmes in Rehabilitation in Tanzania and Kenya.

The event took place in Moshi, Kilimanjaro Region. The initiative seeks to introduce new bachelor’s and master’s programmes in rehabilitation-related professions, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, audiology and optometry.

Dr Laizer noted that the sixth-phase government continues to prioritise efforts to strengthen the health sector and is ready to collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the sector’s growth.

“The AfroRehab programme will significantly enhance rehabilitation health services, which are vital in the medical field.

We are grateful to partners, including the European Union (EU), for their support in establishing this programme, which will increase the number of specialists, particularly in rural areas,” Dr Laizer said.

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He explained that the programme would address the growing demand for rehabilitation specialists and lecturers, enabling more experts to be trained and deployed to health facilities nationwide.

The Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College (KCMUCo) Deputy Provost for Academic Affairs, Professor Levina Msuya, stated that the AfroRehab 2023 initiative would improve rehabilitation courses at four East African universities.

These include KCMUCo and Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) as well as Moi University and Jomo Kenyatta University in Kenya.

Professor Msuya highlighted that the programme would train much-needed rehabilitation professionals, helping to meet the country’s growing healthcare demands.

AfroRehab 2030 Project Manager, Ms Grazilella Van den Bergh, noted that the EU-funded project aims to enhance higher education in rehabilitation across East Africa.

“The programme will offer education to health experts locally, eliminating the need for costly overseas studies,” she said.