TANZANIA
About the Project
This project, implemented by Orphan Relief Services (ORES) focuses on mobilising and engaging parliamentarians and the media in Tanzania's Dodoma District.About ORES Tanzania
The mission of the ORES Tanzania is to create a feasible health preventions interventions strategy on communicable and non Communicable diseases. These diseases include HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB and STI. This includes provision of information, health education and enhances e-government and telemedicine in the rural settings of Tanzania thus ensuring that the communities are well informed with prevention of communicable Diseases and access to proper treatment and care. The long term goals for the organization is to continue to advocacy, implement, scaling up, replicate Prevention intervention of the Communicable Diseases Mostly affecting Vulnerable Children, Orphans, and Women, Emphasize on accesses to health information, support, care and Treatment.Background to the Project
Malaria has been the leading cause of patient visits to health facilities and of deaths in Tanzania.
It is estimated that about 70% of Patients admitted in the regional hospitals are suffering from malaria or malaria related complications. In Tanzania malaria is aggravated by the presence of swamps, paddy fields and stagnant waters that have accumulated in open crevices and holes dug though human activities such as mining and brick making as mosquitoes breeding places.
In terms of advocacy, one of the major issues facing the country has been a lack of involvement and initiatives from the Government and political leaders regarding malaria prevention and treatment interventions. The problems which have been identified by ORES and require actions from political leaders:
- Lack of affordable insecticide treated mosquito nets (Country Target is 60% of the population especially pregnant women and children in malaria areas must sleep everyday under insecticide treated mosquito nets. Only 15% have been reached).
- Lack of drugs for treatment and prevention (Country Target is 60% of pregnant women at risk of malaria should take preventive drugs. 60% of those with malaria should have access to treatment with malaria drugs within 12-24 hours. Only less than 20% has been achieved)
- Lack of involvement of civil society organisations. There is need for community groups' discussions to encourage sharing of culturally appropriate knowledge about the causes and treatment of malaria and use cultural and traditional approach to combat diseases and behavioural change.
- Lack of decision makers' involvement in cross-cutting malaria interventions: communication for behavioral impact for community empowerment and participation for sustainability of source reduction and appropriate health seeking behavior; Inter-sectoral linkages with non-health sector for implementation of appropriate prevention and control measures in malaria including malaria impact assessment of development projects, capacity building of health/non health malaria sector through training at various levels;
- Lack of involvement of political leaders towards health related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and coordination to implement the Roll Back Malaria Partnership Global Strategic Plan 2005-2015 in Tanzania.
Objectives of the Project
- To create a ground for giving in formations, learning and sharing of ideas among Member of Parliaments (MPs)
- To equip the Member of Parliaments with the latest and current material and report on malaria situation in Tanzania and train them to become "Agents of Change"
- To publicise the MPs Advocacy Campaign by involving and using the media
