Tanzania has called on African countries to increase sustainable and innovative investment in maternal, child and primary healthcare, saying stronger health systems are critical to the continent’s health security and development.
Minister for Health Mohamed Mchengerwa made the call on August 18, 2026, while opening the Fourth Meeting of the Regional Steering Committee (ReSCO) of the East African Community (EAC) in Dar es Salaam, where he chaired the meeting.
Mr Mchengerwa said African countries needed to take greater responsibility for their health systems, particularly by prioritising the wellbeing of mothers and children.
He said maternal and child health was an important indicator of the effectiveness of health systems and the broader development of a country.
“Africa must take responsibility for its own health because maternal and child health is an important measure of the performance of health systems and the development of nations. When mothers and children are safe, families are stronger, communities are more resilient and nations are more secure,” he said.
The minister said maternal and child mortality remained a significant challenge across Africa, with United Nations figures for 2025 showing a maternal mortality ratio of 454 deaths per 100,000 live births.
The same data put the under-five mortality rate at 71 deaths per 1,000 live births, underscoring the need for sustained investment in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services.
Mr Mchengerwa also highlighted the growing health threats facing East Africa, including outbreaks of Ebola, cholera and mpox, as well as the effects of climate change and humanitarian crises.
He said countries should strengthen regional preparedness instead of waiting for emergencies before taking action.
“Our African countries should not wait for emergencies to occur before they start working together. Instead, we must strengthen disease surveillance at our borders, joint preparedness, laboratories and emergency public health response centres,” he said.
He called for greater cooperation among East African countries in disease surveillance, laboratory capacity and emergency response, particularly because infectious diseases can spread rapidly across borders.
Turning to Tanzania’s progress, Mr Mchengerwa said government investment in the health sector had continued to improve access to healthcare services.
He said about 80 per cent of Tanzanians can access health services within five kilometres of their homes, describing the expansion of services as part of efforts to bring healthcare closer to communities.
Mr Mchengerwa said the government would continue strengthening Tanzania’s capacity to prepare for and respond to disease outbreaks while also supporting regional preparedness.
He urged East African countries to increase investment in primary healthcare, maternal and child health and emergency preparedness to build health systems that are resilient, self-reliant and capable of responding to emerging threats.
The minister said stronger prevention and early-response systems would help countries deal with health emergencies before they develop into major crises, while improving the quality and availability of essential healthcare services for communities.
