The Director of the Department of Health, Nutrition, and Social Welfare at the President’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government (TAMISEMI), Dr. Rashid Mfaume, has called on Regional Health Management Teams (RHMTs), Council Health Management Teams (CHMTs), and facility management teams to strengthen their oversight of health projects being implemented within their jurisdictions.
Dr. Mfaume made the remarks during a wrap-up session following his joint supervision visit in Dar es Salaam, where he assessed the availability and quality of health, nutrition, and social welfare services across the region.
"Too often, RHMTs and CHMTs delay in engaging with projects. From the initial stages of construction to completion, we sometimes fail to conduct site visits or inspections, despite being the key technical experts and primary users of these health facilities," he noted.
He stressed that the lack of close monitoring has led to several projects being implemented in ways that do not comply with official guidelines or standards for health service delivery infrastructure.
“Our construction guidelines define specific standards for various service areas such as laboratories, outpatient departments (OPD), laundry units, and waste incineration zones.These spaces are interconnected in the patient care process, from arrival to discharge. It is therefore crucial that we actively participate and provide technical guidance throughout the construction process,” Dr. Mfaume emphasized.
He further urged local government authorities to ensure that all completed health facilities are operationalized without delay, in alignment with the government's objective of improving access to health services for all citizens.
In addition, Dr. Mfaume recommended that councils continue hiring contract staff to help address the shortage of healthcare professionals, particularly in underserved areas with limited personnel.
Acting Dar es Salaam Regional Administrative Secretary, Engineer Aman Mafuru, praised the Director’s visit, describing it as a timely opportunity for the region to reflect on its performance in the health sector.
“This joint supervision visit has brought to light several key issues, and Dr. Mfaume has provided clear guidance. As a region, we have already taken steps in some areas and will continue to act on the remaining recommendations,”
