Health policy and implementations in Tanzania.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Policy
• Healthcare Systems

Background:

• Tanzania's current health policy is rooted in the 1967 Arusha Declaration, emphasizing socialism and self-reliance.
• The Arusha Declaration's re-emphasis in 1971 significantly shaped rural healthcare infrastructure in mainland Tanzania.
• The Ministry of Health is responsible for policy elaboration and program development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe Tanzania's current health policy and its implementation.
• To analyze the evolution of health policy from the Arusha Declaration to current strategies.
• To assess the shift in healthcare service goals and delivery models.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive analysis of Tanzania's health policy.
• Review of historical policy documents and their impact.
• Examination of current healthcare service infrastructure and goals.

Main Results:

• The health policy goal has shifted from one dispensary per village to one primary health unit per village.
• Village primary health care is primarily preventive and managed by locally selected, short-term trained staff.
• The current primary healthcare system is seen as crucial for achieving universal health by 2000, contingent on political will and resource availability.

Conclusions:

• Tanzania's health policy demonstrates a commitment to primary healthcare and preventive services.
• Decentralized, community-based healthcare management is a key feature of the current policy.
• Sustained political will and adequate resources are critical for the success of Tanzania's health goals.