Thanks to Plan's supporters, this project has now been funded.
This project will ensure that thousands of children and adults in Kibaha District have access to good quality healthcare.
Awareness-raising activities will allow local people to learn about health issues that affect themselves and their families.
So far, with the help of Plan's supporters, the pre-natal, delivery and post-natal wards have been built, together with a children's ward.
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| Children in Kibaha are missing out on vital healthcare in their early years |
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Tanzania is one of the world's poorest countries with an average life expectancy of 48 years.
In Kibaha district, the child mortality rate is extremely high and less than 40% of births are attended by a trained health worker.The district has been severely affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and this is a contributing factor to the high maternal mortality rate.
Mlandizi clinic in Kibaha was built to serve a small village population; now 55,000 people require its services. Therefore, most people in the area cannot be treated at the clinic and are unable to afford services from, or transportation to, private hospitals in the district. As a result, they do not seek medical treatment and advice.
In Kibaha, a lack of awareness among local people about key health issues such as hygiene, preventable diseases such as malaria, and sexually transmitted diseases, has a negative impact upon their state of health.
There is a lack of investment in staff recruitment and training at Mlandizi. Investment is needed to ensure a high standard of healthcare, and that staff and volunteers can deal with the prevailing health problems, such as childhood illnesses, and train local people effectively.
The project will construct and equip:
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A men's ward, a women's ward and a children's ward
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A pre-natal ward, a delivery ward and a post-natal ward
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An operating room
The full project also includes the rehabilitation of existing buildings, provision of additional equipment for the centre, and a review of administration and staffing levels.
Plan Tanzania's health programme will ensure:
· the training of health workers
· refresher training for Traditional Birth Attendants and community health workers
· the provision of hygiene and sanitation education packs to community health volunteers.
Community members will elect a Project Management Committee comprising local women and men which will be trained to oversee the project activities, particularly mobilising and supervising community members involved in the project.
The project is integrated with other Plan and Kibaha District Health Authority interventions in order to ensure its maximum positive impact upon the health status of the local population.
