the united republic of tanzania health sector hiv and aids strategic plan

Executive summary
Introduction
This Health Sector HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan (“HSHSP-2008-2012” ) is the contribution of the Health
sector to the overall National Multisectoral Strategic Framework (NMSF-2008-2012). The theme of the
HSHSP is “universal access to preventive, care, treatment and support services”…
The plan has been prepared at the time when the country and, in particular, the health sector, is facing
significant challenges such as serious human resource crisis, inadequate funds to immediately deal with
the health problems and geographical imbalances in the distribution of the available resources within the
country.
Background
Health Sector Performance and Disease Burden
Over the past five years, the overall performance of the health sector has shown some improvements and
there is government commitment to allocate resources. The country has recorded successes in key HIV
and AIDS interventions, such as: increased coverage for PMTCT, introduced and expanded care and
treatment, increased availability of condoms, increased counseling and testing services, expansion of
services to communities and household levels. Lastly measures to monitor the epidemic are in place.
Despite these improvements, the biggest challenge is that the epidemic is far from being contained.
Currently, the majority of people in need of services cannot access them especially the vulnerable groups
and rural areas. The challenges of assuring quality of services being provided remains an area of great
concern. Although resources are being allocated to the epidemic by the government, sustainability still
remains a formidable task.
In order to successfully implement this strategic plan, the following assumptions are made:
Continued peace and political stability in the country;
There will be adequate numbers of appropriately trained and well motivated health workers;
Macroeconomic stability and sustainable economic growth will continue;
Increased Government prioritisation and funding to the health sector;
Increased Partners support to other programmes within the health sector; and
Timely and appropriate attention to implementation of all health priority areas.
Vision, Mission, Goals and Key Principles
Vision: “A country united in its efforts to reduce the spread of HIV and to provide the best
available care for those infected and affected by the virus.”
Mission Working in partnership with other public sectors, private sector, civil society and
communities to play a leading role in the prevention of further spread of
HIV/AIDS and mitigate its impacts by providing essential interventions and quality
care.
Goals: To scale up the health sector response to HIV and AIDS and strengthen the
health system capacity to support HI and AIDS interventions,
To promote access and utilization of affordable and essential interventions and
commodities for HIV and AIDS, and
To improve the quality of HIV and AIDS interventions to the general public, PLHIV,
health care providers and other vulnerable populations.
Key Principles Equity of access, Ethical conduct and human rights, Quality, Accountability, Partnerships
Decentralisation, Leadership: Gender
6 |FINAL COMBINED-HSHSP 2008-2012: June 24 th 2007