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| Prof Mkenda stressed the urgent need for private sector involvement to make rehabilitation services more accessible nationwide. Photo: Courtesy |
By The Respondent Reporter
Dar es Salaam – The Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Adolf Mkenda, has called on the private sector to collaborate with the government to expand rehabilitation services across Tanzania.
Speaking on 19th September 2024 at the second national rehabilitation conference organized by Rehab Health Tanzania, Prof. Mkenda highlighted the low awareness of these essential services, with many people mistakenly believing that fitness centers are the primary providers.
He stressed the urgent need for private sector involvement to make rehabilitation services more accessible nationwide.
"This presents a significant opportunity for the private sector to bolster the government’s efforts in making rehabilitation services widely available," Prof. Mkenda said, commending Rehab Health Tanzania for its leadership in raising awareness about the importance of rehabilitation.
He also highlighted the critical shortage of rehabilitation professionals, noting that as of August 2024, Tanzania had only 671 physiotherapists, 158 occupational therapists, 125 prosthetic and orthotic specialists, and just six speech therapists, most of whom are concentrated in regional hospitals.
To address this gap, the government has introduced degree programs in occupational and speech therapy at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Prof. Mkenda emphasized the government’s commitment to improving health facilities so that rehabilitation services can be integrated, especially in primary care centers, where they are currently lacking.
Rehab Health Tanzania’s Executive Director, Remla Shirima, praised the government for prioritizing rehabilitation in its health budget for the 2024/2025 fiscal year.
She noted that although rehabilitation services have been available in the country for over 70 years, there is still much work to be done to strengthen their delivery system. Significant strides have been made with the Ministry of Health’s establishment of a dedicated unit to oversee these services.