Evaluate campaigns, MEWATA emplored

HILDA MHAGAMA

MEDICAL Women Association of Tanzania (MEWATA) has been advised to evaluate their breast cancer campaigns and other ailments to improve service delivery.

The call was made in Dar es Salaam yesterday by the Deputy Minister in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), Mr Josephat Kandege, during MEWATA annual general meeting and scientific conference.

Mr Kandege said by evaluating their services, it will ensure that the few interactions they had with community members for over 30 years are handled efficiently and leave them feeling satisfied.

“By evaluating quality, MEWATA can learn from their community members’ interactions, leading to better decision making, service and processes.

The monitoring, measuring and managing of performance and service quality must remain a priority, but the voice of the people you serve across multiple areas, is just as important,” he noted .

He further said awareness campaigns on several ailments including cervical and breast cancer should be given priority, as cancer can be treated at an early stage, saying educating the public about that would save many people.

Mr Kandege also challenged MEWATA to consider involving women from Zanzibar to strengthen their association. He also expressed government commitment to assist them whenever they need assistance.

Earlier, MEWATA President, Dr Serafina Mkuwa, said the association commenced in 1987 with 17 members, but it has now grown to 600 members countrywide. The 30 years are marked under the theme ‘Be bold for change’.

“Over the past years we have been conducting mass breast and cervical screening campaigns, in which we have so far conducted 16 campaigns countrywide and reached 12 regions,” she said Dr Mkuwa said conflicting demand and lack of incentives were among the challenges facing the association, adding that some of the members were not committed as most of their activities were conducted using funds from their pockets.

She said tracking beneficiaries of their campaigns was among the challenges because after they finish the screening services they attach all patients to government hospitals for further treatment and consultations.

Dr Mkuwa said MEWATA plans to construct a health centre worth 32bn/- to cater for the needs of women and children in the country. “The centre will be at Mbweni and it will accommodate 400 patients a day, we expect to raise the money from a fundraising campaign,” she noted