THE government is keen on implementing the 2001 Abuja Declaration of allocating 15 per cent of the national budget to the health sector in the coming years, Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan has said.
Speaking during the 4th Muhimbili
University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) Scientific Conference
in Dar es Salaam, the Vice-President said the upholding of the Abuja
commitment will enable African countries build sustainable research
capacity.
She said funds from development partners
have terminating periods, stressing that through committing enough
resources to the sector, developing countries will be able to build,
address indigenous research agenda most relevant to the African
population.
“We from the developing countries,
Africa in particular, should take up the challenge of building
capacities in research by using local available material and financial
resources,” she explained, laying emphasis on implementation of the
commitment made by Heads of State and Governments through the Abuja
Declaration of 2001.
Samia said the conference, themed,
‘Investing in Health Research and Training for Sustainable Development’,
has come at the right time when the country is taking stock of
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and setting the stage for
implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
She said historic milestones were made
by the MDGs with Tanzania meeting MDG4 of reducing child mortality and
making significant progress in MDG5- improving maternal health and MDG 6
-- tackling HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases.
“Despite this achievements on the health related MDGs, the aspect of access to quality care for all is still lacking.
The new SDGs have recognized the
interdependence of health and development, therefore we need to support
sustainable research and development of vaccines to expand access to
affordable medicine hence addressing SDG3, which focus on ensuring
healthy lives and promoting the well-being of all,” she explained.
The MUHAS Council Chairman, Deogratius
Ntukamazina, proudly said research conducted by MUHAS has resulted in
formulation of policies and guidelines for the health sector in the
country, which have positively impacted on the lives of Tanzanians.
MUHAS Vice-Chancellor Ephata Kaaya
extended appreciation to the government’s continued support that has
enabled the university implement important development activities
including construction of the new MUHAS Academic Medical Centre at the
new campus in Mloganzila, 25km from city centre, whose construction will
be completed in July this year.
The campus will be able to enrol more
than 15,000 students and facilitate conduction of cutting-edge health
research compared to the current levels, Prof Kaaya stressed.
He said MUHAS has been actively
participating in research to address priority areas in line with the
country’s national strategy for growth and reduction of poverty
including conducting clinical trials of HIV vaccine that are at an
advanced stage, among other researches.
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