The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Prime Minister's Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PMO-RALG), with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Fund, has launched a five-day training programme aimed at strengthening Tanzania's preparedness and response to infectious disease outbreaks.
The training, which began on June 28 in Katavi Region, has brought together laboratory surveillance focal persons from Katavi, Kigoma, Rukwa and Songwe regions.
Participants are being equipped with technical skills in the safe collection, packaging and transportation of samples from epidemic-prone diseases, including Mpox, Marburg virus disease, cholera and Ebola.
The programme comes as neighbouring Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo continue to report Ebola cases, underscoring the importance of strengthening cross-border disease surveillance and laboratory capacity.
During the training, laboratory professionals are receiving practical guidance on internationally accepted biosafety and biosecurity procedures to ensure that potentially infectious samples are handled safely while protecting both health workers and the public.
The initiative forms part of the Sixth Phase Government's broader efforts to enhance the country's public health emergency preparedness by building the capacity of frontline health professionals to detect, investigate and respond swiftly to disease outbreaks.
Health authorities say strengthening laboratory surveillance is a critical component of Tanzania's disease prevention strategy, enabling early detection of emerging health threats and reducing the risk of widespread transmission.
The government reaffirmed its commitment to working with development partners to improve the country's epidemic preparedness systems and safeguard the health of Tanzanians against current and future public health emergencies.
