Villagers appeal for a health centre
RESIDENTS of Ilchang’tsapukin Village in Longindo have reached out to the Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) for a fully-fledged medical facility in the area.
The desperate villagers said they currently contend with the reality of trekking long distances to Lumbwa Village, which is 20-kilometre away in pursuit of medical services.
Addressing a delegation of TASAF officials on behalf of his fellow villagers here midweek, Lamuru Talaswa decried how an absence of a reliable health centre was locking them out of accessing quality health care.
“We are in dire need of health centre here, and it’s even worse for our expectant mothers especially during delivery,” lamented the visibly worried villager.
Mr Talaswa said missing out on quality health care was tantamount to getting deprived of their basic human rights.
Nestled in Gelai Lumbwa Ward in Longido District, Ilchang’tsapukin Village is a beneficiary of TASAF projects including education projects, infrastructure and financial support for poor households which where more than 100 households reached out by the strategy.
Among the projects already implemented in the village is the construction of Ilchang’tsapukin Primary School which now hosts more than 500 pupils.
In his rejoinder, TASAF Executive Director, Ladislaus Mwamanga assured the villagers that his office would in the near future come to their rescue.
“We cannot invest only in education and leave out health, the two complement each other,” he said.
TASAF and other community development stakeholders were on a two-day work tour in Longido, reviewing implementation of its projects in the area.
It kicked off by a visit of Lerang’wa Village on Wednesday and wound on on Thursday where a host of delegates from the World Bank, Swedish Embassy, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and European Union (EU) also featured.
Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) was established in 2000 as part of the Government of Tanzania’s strategy to reduce poverty.
It was established to enable poor households to increase incomes and opportunities while improving consumption.
Another aim is to empower the poor households graduate out of poverty and have sustainable social and economic development.
