Supported by funding from the Pandemic Fund and technical assistance from the World Health Organization (WHO), Tanzania is strengthening its capacity to detect and control environmental health risks that can threaten communities across the country.
Health experts from Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar met in Morogoro on April 15, 2026, to prepare a draft guideline that will help authorities monitor environmental pollution indicators linked to public health risks. The initiative is being implemented by the Ministries of Health in both sides of the Union in collaboration with WHO.
The guideline is expected to improve early detection of risks such as unsafe water, poor waste management, contaminated food, and air pollution, which can contribute to disease outbreaks and long-term health problems.
Speaking during the meeting, the Head of Border Health Services, Remidius Kakulu, said the guideline will strengthen the ability of councils and border health offices to identify and respond to environmental risks before they affect communities.
He said environmental monitoring is not only a health priority but also a legal requirement under national and international public health frameworks.
“This guideline is important because it will help us prevent diseases before they spread. Monitoring environmental risks is key to protecting the health of citizens,” he said.
From Zanzibar, the Head of Border Health Services, Rukaiya Mohamed Said, said the guideline will be useful across the entire country, noting that environmental challenges are similar in both Mainland and Zanzibar.
She said Zanzibar has fully participated in the process through experts from key institutions, including the Zanzibar Environmental Management Authority and the Zanzibar Water Authority, alongside health and environmental specialists.
A WHO representative, George Kauki, said the organization will continue to support Tanzania in strengthening disease surveillance systems to ensure early detection of environmental risks and faster response.
He said improving environmental health surveillance is essential for global health security, especially in preventing outbreaks linked to unsafe water, food contamination, waste, and air pollution.
The President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), represented by Suzana Nchalla, said the guideline will help environmental health officers at local levels improve monitoring and early identification of health threats.
She said stronger coordination at council level will help prevent small environmental problems from turning into major public health crises.
The coordinator of the process, Athanas Lucas, said the expert team is ensuring the guideline is practical, relevant, and suitable for both current and future health challenges.
An Environmental Health Officer from Julius Nyerere International Airport, Jeremia Lyattu, said the guideline will be especially useful at border points where risks of environmental contamination can spread quickly.
He said officers will be able to closely monitor risks in water, food, waste, and air, and take early action to protect public health.
The meeting brought together experts from the Ministry of Health departments of environmental health, border health services, epidemiology and disease control, the National Public Health Laboratory, emergency and disaster response units, the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), PO-RALG, regional authorities, universities including Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences and Ardhi University, as well as airport and port health officials.
Once completed, the guideline is expected to strengthen Tanzania’s preparedness against environmental health threats and improve coordination between Mainland and Zanzibar in protecting citizens from preventable diseases linked to pollution.
