CHMI launched in Tanzania
November 24th 2011 marked the launch of the Centre for Health Market Innovations (CHMI) in Tanzania. The event, organized and coordinated by the Institute of Health Policy Management and Research (IHPMR), CHMI’s East Africa analytical partner, was held at the Moven Pick hotel, Dar-es-Salaam.
The event was an interactive session which included poster presentations of the health programs in Tanzania documented on the CHMI database. Accredited Drug Dispensing Outlets (ADDO), made a special presentation highlighting the factors that enabled it to move from its pilot stage to a government sponsored program. This inspired an article in The Citizen, which went on to discuss how the program is seeking to go continental.
In a speech read by, Mr. Winna Shango, the government's Chief Pharmacist, Mrs. Blandina Nyoni, Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs termed the event as a breakthrough in the Tanzanian health market. She identified CHMI as a platform for implementers to share ideas, learn from one another, and gain the necessary publicity to accelerate innovative models. In line with the main theme of the launch “Working to improve health market performance for better health and financial protection for the poor”, Shango was optimistic that the website will be able to shine a spotlight on innovations ideas and thus increase the number of positive interventions in the Tanzanian marketplace. He also confirmed the commitment of the Tanzanian government to provide quality, affordable and accessible health services to its 44 million citizens.
However, poor health infrastructure, limited access to quality health services, shortage of skilled health providers and lack of adequate health financing were cited as the major constrains to this development.
The launch of Centre for Health Market Innovations signifies a new beginning for the health innovations programs in Tanzania. “The launch means a lot. CHMI will connect people; it will connect organizations and will connect countries,” commented Jafary Liana from Management Sciences for Health. IHPMR will continue profiling programs and creating forums in the country for all stakeholders to share information.