DODOMA: THE government has praised the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for its pivotal role in supporting efforts to address health sector challenges through funding and expertise.
During a review meeting of USAID’s MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership (MCGL) project held on Monday, Ahmed Makuwani, Director of Maternal and Child Health at the Ministry of Health, acknowledged the significant impact of USAID’s support.
He highlighted improvements in access to and delivery of Covid-19 and routine vaccinations across the country.
Makuwani expressed the government’s commitment to securing resources to sustain the projects and build on the achievements made.
He assured USAID of continued government backing to collaboratively address health sector challenges.
He noted the effectiveness of the house-to-house approach used in the project to enhance routine immunisation. This method proved particularly useful in engaging communities and reaching individuals who could not access health facilities.
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“During the Covid-19 pandemic, one major challenge was the public fear of visiting health centres due to the risk of infection. The house-to-house approach significantly improved service delivery by reaching those who otherwise would not have received vaccinations,” Makuwani said.
He added, “The project facilitated the delivery of routine vaccinations to children and pregnant women by bringing services directly to their homes. Measures like mask-wearing and hand-washing initially increased fear among the community, but the project’s approach helped overcome these barriers.”
Launched in 2021, the project aimed to ensure the availability of essential services, including vaccines and was implemented in Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Kagera, Singida, Morogoro on the mainland and Unguja and Pemba in the Isles. The project is set to conclude next month.
Jhpiego implemented the MCGL project and its Country Director, Ms Alice Christensen, reported remarkable results. She noted significant improvements in both Covid-19 vaccine uptake and routine immunisation response.
Dr Maryrose Giattas, Director of the MCGL Programme at USAID, outlined the project’s four main objectives: collaborating with the government to provide vaccination services for children under five, vaccinating girls aged nine to 14 to prevent cervical cancer and administering Covid-19 vaccines.
The project was executed across 49 councils, including eleven in Zanzibar, reaching 1,742 facilities over three phases.
Dr Salim Slim Garry, Director of Preventive Services at the Ministry of Health in Zanzibar, highlighted the project’s success in increasing COVID-19 vaccination coverage from 37 per cent to 96 per cent.
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