Over the past 10 years, the United Republic of Tanzania has made remarkable progress in improving public health by reducing communicable diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases and controlling cholera outbreaks. However, maternal mortality remains a challenge at 556 per 100,000 live births, and neonatal mortality contributes up to 52% of < 5-year-old mortality. Noncommunicable diseases, including mental health problems, are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, straining the country's limited resources. The emergence of epidemics and pandemics such as COVID-19 places additional pressure on the health system and disrupts the economic and social well-being of the population. The government's efforts to address these challenges and achieve the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be supported by implementing a World Health Organization Country Cooperative Strategy (CCS) with four strategic priorities, including strengthening health systems and protecting communities from infectious diseases.
This supplement describes the work conducted by the Tanzanian government and its partners, with the support of WHO, to improve public health consistent with the SDGs and WHO 13th Global Program of Work (GPW). The supplement presents programmatic interventions such as reducing road traffic accidents and injuries, developing a national health framework, eliminating cholera and malaria in Zanzibar, improving COVID-19 vaccine uptake, enhancing water, sanitation, and hygiene, accelerating HIV/AIDS services, and introducing a new anti-HIV regimen. Despite the challenges, significant progress has been made in improving the health of the Tanzanian public, as described in this supplement. We hope that you enjoy learning about this work through this supplement.