Tanzania Excels in Public Private Partnerships in Health

• aca
• February 18, 2014
• Latest News

At a Network for Africa PPP Technical exchange meeting held in Mombasa in 2011, initiating and running PPP units within the Ministries of Health in African countries seemed a ‘Mission Impossible’ affair. However, three years down the line, Tanzania has suddenly become a model that many governments and development partner’s make a stop at to consult on matters of PPP in health.

In the words of Dr. Samuel Ogillo, head of Association of Private Health Facilities in Tanzania (APHFTA) Secretariat in Tanzania, the countries PPP unit and activities have become to be adored by many out there.

“This is just to share what a few years ago would be called ‘impossible’ in Tanzania. I have suddenly realized that most Ministers coming from developed countries are more and more appreciating the private sector’s contribution to health in the developing nations,” remarked Dr. Ogillo.

The work done by the association and its affiliates has seen aroused interest from within and outside Africa. Dr. Ogillo adds, “I have in the past year met at least three foreign Ministers coming to Tanzania and wanting to meet the Private Sector. I have more partners making appointment to meet me just for some discussions on how the private health sector can do more by partnering with the public. We have met with the President of Tanzania and several Ministers, and the Prime Minister just to discuss how the Private Sector can work with the government on several issues, and especially on the topic of healthcare.”

The most recent visit was on the of February 2014 when APHTA hosted two Canadian Ministers in Tanzania meeting the private health sector with all the top USAID/PEPFER officials and the Ministry of Health top official led by the Minister for Health and the Prime Minister’s Office PS. At this meeting, round table discussions were conducted on how the Private sector and the Public sectors can work together to improve Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH).

“Looking back, we have done a lot to improve PPPs in health, and the results are now visible- we should expect more in the near future. Thank you very much for your contribution in making this possible in the African Region,” posed Dr. Ogillo at the high level Round Table Meeting.