In 2019, Tanzania embarked on a transformative journey to revolutionise its healthcare system by implementing a comprehensive digital health strategy (2019 to 2024). The strategy aimed to leverage digital technologies and data-driven solutions to ensure better health outcomes through a digitally enabled health system. As the implementation of the strategy nears its end, the Ministry of Health (MoH), with financial support from HELINA and other partners through the Tanzania Health Informatics Association (TAHIA), in collaboration with different stakeholders, conducted a Convergence Workshop (CW) to discuss the priorities, assess implementation progress, challenges and barriers encountered and provide recommendations for fast-tracking the implementation, identify new opportunities, and priorities and investment for the next five years.
The Tanzania Digital Health Strategy stipulates five strategic goals and ten strategic objectives. The CW provided a platform for digital health stakeholders to critically review each of the stipulated strategic objectives to determine progress made, opportunities and potentials for harnessing emerging digital technologies in addressing health system challenges and facilitating health service delivery in Tanzania. Thus, the CW was conducted for three days, providing ample time for stakeholders to collaboratively devise an implementation and investment plan to address the identified gaps and the prioritized digital health initiatives in the health system. Alongside the CW was a very significant event which saw the official launching of TAHIA. The Deputy Minister of Health officiated this event, Dr. Godwin Mollel (MP), on behalf of the Tanzania Minister for Health. This report presents highlights of the CW and the TAHIA launching event, with more than 124 participants from around Tanzania in attendance. The theme of the Convergence Workshop and TAHIA launch event was: “The Role of Health Informatics Workforce in Strengthening the Health System in Tanzania”.
The Tanzania Health Informatics Association (TAHIA) spearheaded the Convergence workshop by bringing together Development partners, Implementing partners, Government, Academia and private sector in a stakeholder engagement session. The final product of the Convergence workshop was a shared implementation plan in Digital health which maximize the value of resources by reducing duplication of efforts and resources through shared planning.
TAHIA wishes to express profound gratitude to the executive sponsor: HELINA, and the premium sponsors: Henry Jackson Foundation Medical Research International (HJFMRl), the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), and Universal Communications Service Access Fund (UCSAF) for their invaluable financial support, which has played a significant role in making the event a resounding success. Likewise, the organizing committee for the CW and TAHIA launching event extends their gratitude to all participants for their contributions and unwavering support that led to the event’s success. We trust that you found the event captivating, enlightening, and filled with optimism for promoting digital health innovations for achieving improved health outcomes in Tanzania.
Discover more about TANZANIA HEALTH INFORMARTICS ASSOCIATION (TAHIA):
TAHIA has two core focuses: firstly, to promote and support innovations in health technology and foster greater participation from all members across categories. Secondly, we aim to enhance collaboration, facilitating the cross-fertilization of health informatics knowledge and skills. We pledge our full support to the Digital Health strategy, which seeks to revolutionize Tanzania’s healthcare by leveraging digital technologies for the welfare of all citizens.
