Health in Tanzania

I-Archdiocese of Davao Group 1: Rav Rainier M. Sare Deo Dean B. Ramada Jennel Leah Perez Licole John P. Par Aira Lei Jasmin Yao Leila Jean Yao Kyle Kenneth Serenio Alfred Laser Timbal Jomari Sta. Ana Joshua Matthew Santos

Health in Tanzania
In 1992, there were 3,000 rural health facilities, 17 regional hospitals, and 3 national medical centers; in the same year, the ratio of nurses to doctors was 7:3. As of 1999, it was estimated that there were fewer than 0.05 physicians per 1,000 people, and0.9 hospital beds. Medical staff morale was low due to declining wages and management and operational difficulties in the central medical stores and domestic pharmaceuticals industries. Imports of drugs are overseen by the Pharmaceutical Board; there are four local manufacturers. Special programs of disease control have been carried out with the assistance of the World Health Organization and UNICEF for most major diseases, including malaria, tuberculosis, sleeping sickness, schistosomiasis, poliomyelitis, and yaws. As of 2000, an estimated 44% of children under five were malnourished. In 1997, children up to one year old were immunized against tuberculosis, 82%; diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus, 74%; polio, 73%; and measles, 69%. Tanzania's tuberculosis treatment program is less than 20 years old and consists of inexpensive drugs that cut recovery time in half. As of 2002, the crude birth rate and overall mortality rate were estimated at, respectively, 39.1 and 13 per 1,000 people. About 25% of married women (ages 15 to 49) used contraception in 2000. Infant mortality in 2000 was 95 per 1,000 live births and maternal mortality was an estimated 530 per 100,000 live births in 1998. The female genital mutilation prevalence in Tanzania was lower than most African nations in 1994. An estimated 1.5 million or 10% suffered from the procedure. The government of Tanzania has not prohibited it. At the end of 2001, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS was estimated at 1.5 million (including 7.8% of the adult population) and deaths from AIDS that year were estimated at 140,000. HIV prevalence in 1999 was 8.1 per 100 adults. The Tanzanian government is working to stop the spread of AIDS by improving the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. Intervention on some STDs has shown a reduction in HIV prevalence.

Reflection
We realized that were lucky! Because almost all people in Tanzania, especially children, are malnourished. Childrens bones there can be felt in their skin. Some people, maybe all, die of malnourishment and theyre untreated disease. Almost all people there have severe illnesses. Then, compared to Tanzania, there are just small number of people living with HIV/AIDS in our country. Another is that only few people are untreated here in our country. Compared to Tanzania, our country has sufficient health facilities. Our country also has only few people wherein theyre not reached by help. Almost all people there strive to survive their diseases, lack of food, and malnourishment. So we thank God that were lucky. And we pray to God that Tanzania will improve, only few people, or no people, will have HIV/AIDS, and all people living there will reach help from the government.