The Ministry of Health Tanzania has announced that the 2026 National Health Week will kick off on April 26, with a nationwide campaign aimed at strengthening preventive healthcare and expanding access to vaccination services.
The announcement, issued in Dodoma on April 22, outlines the government’s renewed push to improve public health under the Sixth Phase Administration led by President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
According to the ministry, the annual event locally known as WAKI was introduced in 2025 as a platform to unite policymakers, health practitioners and citizens in addressing key challenges facing the sector while promoting access to essential services.
This year’s edition will run alongside the African Vaccination Week, observed in the last week of April, with authorities using the opportunity to intensify immunisation campaigns, particularly for children who have missed or not completed their vaccination schedules.
The national climax will be held in Kibiti District, Pwani Region, where health officials and stakeholders are expected to lead major outreach activities and awareness campaigns.
The ministry said the initiative aligns with broader national frameworks, including the Tanzania Development Vision 2050, the Health Policy of 2007 and the current Health Sector Strategic Plan, all aimed at ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare.
At the centre of the campaign is a strong emphasis on preventive services vaccination, sanitation, nutrition and early diagnosis as the government seeks to reduce the burden of preventable diseases.
“National Health Week provides a key opportunity to mobilise communities and ensure every child and eligible individual receives life-saving vaccines,” the ministry said in a statement.
Diseases targeted under the immunisation drive include tuberculosis, polio, measles, rubella, hepatitis, pneumonia, diarrhoeal diseases and cervical cancer, all of which remain major public health concerns if not addressed through timely vaccination.
Beyond immunisation, the campaign will also highlight the importance of environmental cleanliness, proper nutrition and the ongoing rollout of universal health insurance to improve affordability and access to care.
Health Minister Mohamed Mchengerwa urged Tanzanians to actively participate, calling on parents and guardians to ensure children are vaccinated according to schedule and communities to embrace preventive health practices.
Regional and local government authorities have been tasked with coordinating activities on the ground, including public education campaigns and community outreach programmes to reinforce key health messages.
Health facilities nationwide are expected to remain fully operational during the week, offering services such as immunisation, screening and treatment.
The government says the initiative will also serve as a platform to showcase achievements in the health sector, identify gaps and strengthen collaboration among stakeholders.
As the country prepares for the week-long campaign, authorities are stressing a simple but critical message: prevention remains the most effective tool in safeguarding public health.
