Tanzania, France strengthen health ties
DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA and France have committed to continue working closely in the health sector, with a renewed focus on deepening academic and research collaboration between their leading institutions, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) and the University of Bordeaux to address global health challenges.
Addressing students and MUHAS staff during a meeting organised by MUHAS’s Internationalisation and Convocation Unit in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday, the Ambassador of France to Tanzania, Anne Sophie Avé stressed the significance of leveraging institutional strengths and shared knowledge to address global health challenges.
“We want to develop University cooperation in many areas, particularly health, we’ve got so much to learn from countries like Tanzania,” she said.
He added: “By working with you, we are learning about diseases that are unfamiliar to us, this is mutual learning, driven by shared challenges in a changing world.”
However, the diplomat also insisted on the importance of investing in youth while commending the efforts made by MUHAS in nurturing young specialised and super specialised health professionals.
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“We believe youth is the future, so investing in the youth is investing in the future,” the envoy said.
Pointing out the university growth, the MUHAS Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics Prof Emmanuel Balandya said since 1963, the institution has remained a reliable hub for high-impactful research that influenced national health policy and guidelines.
He added that the institution has trained over 70 per cent of the Human Resources for Health (HRH) personnel in Tanzania, thereby playing a crucial role in strengthening the nation’s capacity.
“The university currently offers a total of 119 academic programs, including 8 diplomas, 16 undergraduate degrees and 95 postgraduate programs,” he said.
Expounding on the relationship between Tanzania and France in health sector, Prof Balandya said “MUHAS takes pride in its ongoing international partnerships, especially with France”.
“Through the Internationalisation and Convocation Unit, we have hosted elective French students who come to MUHAS to study and participate in various cultural activities, experiencing the beauty of our country,” he said.
“In the area of research, France remains a supporter of various health projects hosted at MUHAS. Projects such as R’OHOKET, which address Antimicrobial Resistance through a One Health Approach, are funded by the French Embassy not only in Tanzania but also in Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia”.
