Tanzania Vice President Mpango urges East, Central and Southern African nations to up health budgets

Arusha. The Vice President, Dr Philip Mpango, has challenged East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA – HC) member states to translate their commitments into action by scaling up their health budgets.

Dr Mpango said the ECSA – HC member states ought to heavily invest in essential medical products and technologies, including information systems, for residents of the region to attain highest standards of physical, mental and social wellbeing.

“I urged ECSA - HC member states to invest significantly in biomedical, clinical, social, cultural, environmental and pollution health research,” he said.

The Tanzania government would remain steadfast in fulfilling its obligations towards the ECSA – HC, promised the Vice President, pleading with development partners to continue supporting the ECSA – HC priority agenda.

He called on the ECSA – HC to carry out robust research on improving disease diagnosis and effective treatment options in a bid to strengthen health services in the region.

Additionally, he urged the ECSA – HC to scale up efforts to address health challenges facing the region, including poor nutrition, gender-based violence and sexual abuse.

Dr Mpango was officiating at the ECSA – HC 50thanniversary celebrations in Arusha, the seat of the inter-governmental organisation tasked to strengthen regional cooperation and capacity in addressing health needs of its member states.

ECSA comprises nine member states, namely Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Eswatini, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The Vice President commended ECSA – HC saying through its partnership with other institutions it reached out to Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Eritrea, Gabon, Liberia, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Sudan, Sudan and Somalia.

“As a result of the significant milestones, it is worth celebrating the golden jubilee and look forward to a brighter future,” Dr Mpango said.

He cautioned that the region was vulnerable to health threats compounded by both communicable and non-communicable diseases as well as pandemics and impacts of climate change.

While the health sector is grappling with NCDs such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, which were once regarded as of the affluent, an action involving other sectors was required, said Dr Mpango, stressing that promotion of healthy diets and physical exercises must be a preoccupation of all sectors.

Effects of climate change on health also caused significant threat to public health, owing to increasing vector and waterborne diseases.

“We need to integrate climate resilience into our healthcare systems to better prepare for and respond to climate change-related health issues,” he suggested.

The region had in recent years been witnessing a gradual increase in the prevalence of drug resistance strains of TB, malaria and other diseases.

It has also witnessed sporadic outbreaks of viral hemorrhagic fevers, Ebola, yellow fever, rift valley fever, dengue, Marburg, and cholera which have become chronic in some of our member states.

Dr Mpango highlighted the need for the region to strengthen its health systems at all levels, with more focus on primary healthcare to manage public health threats effectively.

ECSA - HC is currently investing in cross-border disease intelligence surveillance systems, joint outbreak investigations, and response mechanisms.

The Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ms Ummy Mwalimu, said the 50 percent ECSA – HC member states’ contribution to universal health coverage was insignificant compared to that of countries in other regions.

“A lot remains to be done. However, with your leadership, guidance and investment we can surpass the target,” she said.

Besides cancer, diabetes, hypertension and other NCDs, the region was also fighting against antimicrobial resistance compounded by irrational application of medicines.

Tanzania was carrying out a countrywide campaign dubbed Holela Holela (carelessness) to combat the new challenge of the health sector across ECSA – HC member states.

Both the Vice President and the minister used the celebrations which attracted about 300 participants for drumming up support to the Kigamboni Member of Parliament, Dr Faustine Ndugulile, who is vying for the post of the WHO Director for Africa.

“I worked with him in Cabinet and I can attest to his outstanding capabilities,” said Dr Mpango, revealing that 16 SADC member states and most of the East African Community partner states supported the candidate nominated by the Tanzania government.

Dr Ndugulile told journalists on the sidelines of the celebrations that one of his priorities would be strengthening health systems to ensure every African became healthier, given the belief that health was capital and wealth.

“We believe this is East Africa’s turn to contribute our knowledge and skills to improve health services on the continent,” he said.

The ECSA – HC Director General, said the intergovernmental organisation had its roots in the winds of change that swept across the region between 1950s and 1960s that saw many African nations become independent.

The young nations were committed to a number of ideals, including unity of Africa and self-reliance spirit as espoused in the Arusha Declaration in 1967.

Although other nations chose different ideologies to guide them, all were committed to fight against ignorance, diseases and poverty, challenges which prompted health ministers to resolve to establish the ECSA – HC during their 1973 meeting.