I have been visiting Nyakahanga hospital this week in Karagwe district.This district in Kagera region is just reeling from shortage of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs)/ anti malaria drugs commonly known as Alu.The shortage was at its peak in May.
For now, that has been solved and hope for sustainability remains as long as Funding continues,according to the Region’s Medical Officer Herman Kabirige.
Some people else where have noted that a revolution can take place with out people noticing. That is my humble opinion for now regarding strides being taken in the rural sides of Kagera in the fight against malaria. It should be remembered that in 2006/2007,the disease exuded a high level of stubbornness, felling more children as much as it wanted.
At the Nyakahanga paediatric ward, babies shared beds then and the structures were overwhelmed to a level that called for erection of tents in the hospital compound.To date,hardly over two malaria cases are reported among children on a given day here.
At the time,the country was still using sulfadoxine-pyrimethanine (SP) but research found it to be ineffective antimalarials.Tanzania,thus switched to artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) as the first-line treatment against the disease in 2007 at a national launch done here.
In a conversation with Kagera region’s Malaria cordinator Ahmed Rubwa yesterday,I was informed that there was a small ACTs shortage in April.
According to international medical journal the Lancet, Artemisinin’s reaction to the malaria parasite is explosive. When the drug encounters the parasite, it immediately acts as a deadly toxin, swiftly eradicating the intruder from a patient’s bloodstream.
But for now,the bigger problem remains shortage of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test(MRDTs),which is a fast and most clear diagnosing method to detect the disease.
With out the MRDTs,a wrong diagnosis for malaria is likely.
- A mother and her child at Nyakahanga hospital in Karagwe district,Kagera region,as she awaits to access the doctor’s room.
Maswala ya Health Funding bado yana mwiba mkubwa sana
In LDCs,sustainability of such measurable achievements is a challenge because health funding has largely been in the hands of donors who sometimes backtrack on their funding pledges
I agree with Kenneth and Ruta. But I will also add that, maybe we could make this clinics self funded. Are they allowed to own business based on Tanzania commercial code. If somebody can get of a TRA officer would be great. We could switch them to a social entrepreneurial model. This will give breaks donors and we will improve our productivity. I think if we follow the model of social entrepreneurship GDP will improve significantly. booming employment, income per capital will also increase. however, These things needs government supports of some kind.
kaka nashukuru kutufungua macho wa tz na ulimwengu kwa ujumla.unajua suala la malaria ni moja tu ya matatizo kibao yanayosumbua watanzania na nchi zinazoendelea.mi nasema uongozi mbovu na wenye ubinafsi ndo umetufikisha hapo,na isitoshe tutazamie mazigo mazito ya shida kama ungozi hautaki kuleta uzalendo kwa wananchi,viumbe vingine na mazingila.big up orton
endelea kutujuza
joe.
Inasikitisha sana, na huu mpango wetu mpya wa zahanati za kata, si ndo tunampango wa kuwa na wauguzi wa vodafasta, kinachofuata Mungu atunusuru.
Mpaka lini Watz tutawekeza katika tiba na si kuzuia maradhi?
This is a challenge to stakeholders to invest in healthy education.
Tuweze katika elimu hasa ya afya ndio nchi kama Cuba(my experience)
Ziliwekeza katika elimu na sisi wanafurahi matunda yake.
Mfano katika Clinic ninaposoma mimi hapakuwa na kifo cha mjamzito mwaka jana,,wagonjwa wa ukimwi wasizidi 3,,,.
Hili ni eneo linahudumia watu wasiopungua 1000.
Imagine yourself na ni weusi kama sisi,,,je kwa ninitushindwe?