Present health situation in Tanzania.
This article discusses the present health situation in Tanzania, however, health system before independence, the colonial health system, has been the foundation on which the present health services in Tanzania are built upon. The population growth in Tanzania is high (3.2% in 1986), and projected to be 3.7% by the year 2,000. This high growth explains why it is difficult to achieve health objectives on the long term basis. Compounded to this is the economical crisis in the country. Child population in Tanzania account for about 47% of the total population in 1986. Maternal and Child Health Care services (MCHC) are discussed, with much emphasis on the child health care problems, and different programmes involved in improving child health care in the country. Problems of poor environmental sanitation are discussed including possible solutions for Tanzania. Tanzania, in this article, is urged to strengthen the existing health services in terms of staff, drugs, other supplies and equipment in order to give adequate health care to its people. Tanzania should also balance the distribution of resources between urban and rural so as to comply with the objective of the national health policy of comprehensive basic health services equitably to all within the limited available resources and to be able to reach the ultimate goal of health for all the people in the country by the year 2,000.
Dominicus
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Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa.
Todoriki
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Akamatsu
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Gunshin
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D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services; D006296:Health Services / Q000600:supply & distribution; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008427:Maternal Health Services; D013636:Tanzania