KCMC plans new master’s course to boost vaccine skills
KILIMANJARO: THE Moshi-based KCMC University in Kilimanjaro Region is planning to establish a Master of Science Degree programme in Immunology and Vaccinology; a move aligned with the country’s economic priorities and technological transformation.
This was revealed by a senior lecturer and researcher at KCMC University, Dr Godfrey Temba, during the UPIVAC innovation course held and concluded over the weekend in Moshi.
“Plans related to the establishment of the programme have already begun and soon the university leadership will begin to prepare experts for introduction, assessment of the intended course in general, stakeholder engagement and later on the programme’s curriculum development,” he said.
He added: “We learned a lot from the COVID-19 which shocked the world a few years ago; the government in collaboration with health experts is working day and night to ensure that we Tanzanians build our expertise especially in the area of vaccines production.”
Dr Temba said the UPIVAC innovation course will enable the country to produce new experts in health issues related to immunity and vaccine manufacturing.
“There has been a great shortage of immunology and vaccinology experts in the country, to address these challenges, the leadership of KCMC University saw there was a growing interest in embedding innovation in the health and social care curricula,” he added.
He further noted that the UPIVAC innovation course programmes focus on immunology, vaccine development, infectious disease response and public health frameworks aligned with national research initiatives.
He said students who take part in the course will gain targeted expertise in immunology and vaccinology, which are vital components in healthcare.
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For her part, the UPIVAC innovation course leading facilitator, Ms Lone Sillesen from Denmark, said innovation in healthcare is a key driver of improved health outcomes and system responsiveness.
She noted that this is particularly important in complex public health systems where structural constraints, workforce capacity and organisational culture influence the implementation of new practices and technologies. One of the beneficiaries of the innovation course, Mr Ashraf Mahmoud from KCMC University, thanked the university management and Danish donors for establishing the programme.
“The education that we expected to get, will enable our country’s health sector and Tanzanians in general to get their own experts who will work to combat challenges related to immunity and who will also have the skills to develop vaccines locally,” he said.
He added that the initiative will be an important step towards achieving self-reliance in the country’s health sector. The UPIVAC innovation course, under the UPIVAC Africa University Partnership for Immunology and Vaccinology Capacity in Africa, is a fiveyear (2026–2032) programme funded by the government of Denmark.
The programme aims to strengthen immunology and vaccinology capacity in Africa through education, innovation and collaborative learning partnerships in Ghana and Tanzania.
