The Ministry of health and social welfare hosts the annual conference for regional and district medical officers with a theme: Supportive supervision as an important pillar in improving health care service provision, 10th - 12th may, 2013
“I urge you all to demonstrate exemplary Leadership, Innovative management and support and Supervision in order to address challenges we face in our health system which include shortages of medicines, of human resources, of equipment and transport and coordination. We shall make this an annual event on our calendar. We will from now on recognise good performance and give Awards to best performing Regions and Districts.” This call was made by Hon. Dr. Hussein Mwinyi, Minister of Health and Social Welfare at the Annual Conference of Regional and District Medical Officers held on 10th – 12th May, 2013, in Dodoma.
The three days conference gathered 250 health experts including regional and medical officers from the 25 Regions, directors of referral hospitals and health institutes, senior management officials from Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) and Prime Minister’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government (PMORALG), parliamentarians, representatives from private sectors, civil society organizations, development partners including staff from WHO and DANIDA.
Others present to officiate the conference were: the Regional Commissioner for Dodoma Region, Hon. Rehema Nchimbi, the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Seif Rashid, the Ag. Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Regina Kikuli, the Ag. Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Donan Mmbando, the Commissioner for Social Welfare, Mr. Danford Makalla, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Social Services Committee, Hon. Magreth Sitta, the Ag. Permanent Secretary PMORALG, Ms. Salome Musese and the WHO Representative, Dr. Rufaro Chatora.
Dr. Rufaro Chatora, WHO Representative, delivered his message on behalf of the development partners in Tanzania. He began by congratulating the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for hosting such an important gathering and commended significant progress realized in achieving the agreed health indicators. Dr. Chatora further urged the conference participants to use the discussions to explore how existing resources can be used better, to understand how existing resource flow channels in LGAs can be used to acquire resources to address challenges, to improve collaboration between MOHSW and PMORALG and to invest in supportive supervision. He concluded by urging the Ministry officials to take criticisms positively as lessons to be learnt.
The Minister for Health and Social Welfare’s encouraged participants to use the conference as an opportunity to reflect on “where we are and where we are going in the health sector” and also “learn from those who have made progress in improving health service provision”. Dr. Hussein Mwinyi further stressed on the need for strong collaboration between Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, PMORALG and Ministry of Community Development to harmonize provision of social welfare services.
The conference participants over the three days deliberated on how to strengthen health service delivery in the country through presentations and panel discussions. Among the areas discussed at length include Supportive Supervision; Human Resource for Health-production, recruitment and retention; Medicines, medical equipment and supplies; Health financing: NHIF and CHF; Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care; Health care for the elderly; Private Health Sector’s Potentials; E-Health; National HIV/AIDS policy, strategic framework and funding ;Pay for performance and Implementation of CCHP.
On behalf of the parliamentarians, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Social Services Committee, Hon. Magreth Sitta congratulated the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for hosting such an important event and choosing a timely theme. She echoed areas for improvement highlighted in the deliberations to include: Leadership, Management and Accountability for resources, the importance of building managerial capacity for frontline workers, creation of platforms for sharing best practices, and improving communication and definition of roles and responsibilities of Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, PMORALG and the Councils in health service provision.
The Minister also had an opportunity to have private meetings with the RMOs and DMOs to deliberate on challenges encountered in providing quality health care services. He promised to provide feedback on the concerns raised in the forthcoming annual conference.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare recognised districts and regional teams that have demonstrated exemplary leadership and provision of quality laboratory services by awarding them certificates. Singida Region took all the prizes for demonstrating exemplary leadership in health care service provision.
WHO supported this very successful meeting, and on the Minister’s request agreed to support future annual meetings and provide funding for the prizes for the best performing Regions and Districts.
