title: Integrating Neglected Tropical Disease and Immunization Programs: The Experiences of the Tanzanian Ministry of Health.
abstract: Global health practitioners are increasingly advocating for the integration of community-based health-care platforms as a strategy for increasing the coverage of programs, encouraging program efficiency, and promoting universal health-care goals. To leverage the strengths of compatible programs and avoid geographic and temporal duplications in efforts, the Tanzanian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare coordinated immunization and neglected tropical disease programs for the first time in 2014. Specifically, a measles and rubella supplementary vaccine campaign, mass drug administration (MDA) of ivermectin and albendazole, and Vitamin A were provisionally integrated into a shared community-based delivery platform. Over 21 million people were targeted by the integrated campaign, with the immunization program and MDA program reaching 97% and 93% of targeted individuals, respectively. The purpose of this short report is to share the Tanzanian experience of launching and managing this integrated campaign with key stakeholders.
authors.affiliation: Neglected Tropical Disease Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Upendo John
authors.initials: UJ
authors.lastname: Mwingira
authors.affiliation: Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Arianna Rubin
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Means
authors.affiliation: Neglected Tropical Disease Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chikawe
authors.affiliation: Neglected Tropical Disease Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kilembe
authors.affiliation: Immunization and Vaccine Development, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Dafrossa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lyimo
authors.affiliation: RTI International, Washington, District of Columbia.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Crowley
authors.affiliation: Preventive Services, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Neema
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rusibamayila
authors.affiliation: ENVISION, IMA WorldHealth, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.|Neglected Tropical Disease Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nshala
authors.affiliation: Immunization and Vaccine Development, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mphuru
mesh_terms: D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000977:Antiparasitic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058069:Neglected Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012411:Rubella Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013636:Tanzania; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000977:Antiparasitic Agents; D008458:Measles Vaccine; D012411:Rubella Vaccine; D014801:Vitamin A; D007559:Ivermectin; D015766:Albendazole