USAID Afya Yangu Project joins anti- GBV fight

THE management of USAID Afya Yangu Project in Southern Zone has donated registers and tally sheets to the Ministry of Health to help in tracking Gender Based Violence (GBV) in hospitals and health centres in six regions.

The documents were handed over during an event organised in Ruvuma Region to mark the climax of 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence held late last week.

Senior Gender and Youth Advisor for USAID Afya Yangu Project Mr John Toto said the documents were handed over to the District Commissioner of Songea District in Ruvuma Region Mr Polelet Mgema.

“During the sixteen days of activism, USAID Afya Yangu has supported Tanzania’s ministry of Health to print 600 revised copies of GBV registers, 600 tally sheets and 600 monthly report registers,” he said.

He said lack of enough GBV registers and tally sheets in hospitals and health centres is one among the main barriers that leads to poor tracking of GBV cases in the country.

He said the 600 GBV registers will be distributed to six regions in Mainland to supplement the government’s efforts in the fight against GBV in the country.

Mr Toto said 100 of GBV registers have been handed to Ruvuma Region through Regional Medical Officer.

He said USAID conducts several activities towards ending GBV including training of health workers to strengthen healthcare in response to GBV cases.

“In this year alone (2022), USAID Afya Yangu Project has trained 88 healthcare providers Ruvuma Region on how to handle GBV victims,” he said adding that the project also trained social workers in response to GBV cases.

Apart from that, the USAID Afya Yangu Project has trained 16 male champions dubbed ‘Baba Vinara’ on GBV to facilitate Community dialogue on GBV cases in the region.

Meanwhile, Ruvuma Regional Commissioner, Colonel Laban Thomas thanked the management of USAID Afya Yangu for the support extended to the government in combating of GBV.

In a speech read on his behalf by the Songea District Commissioner Mr Polelet Mgema, he said Ruvuma region has been in the forefront in the fight against GBV, through provision of training to healthcare providers, creating public awareness on the need to end GBV .

“We have been providing trainings alongside creating public awareness to end GBV especially GBV against women and children,” he said.He said for the last six months, Ruvuma recorded 442 GBV cases.