Govt to distribute doctors, modern gear nationwide.

 
The government plans to redistribute specialized doctors and health officers to ensure equal provision of health services in hospitals across the country, the parliament heard yesterday.

 

Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, the Elderly and Children, Ummy Mwalimu told the lawmakers in Dodoma that the government has resorted to the move in acknowledgement of the dire need of specialists, namely doctors and medical officers in regional and district hospitals.

 

“It might be a painful exercise to doctors who do not want to be moved upcountry, but I humbly ask you, the lawmakers to support the government in this endeavour; we would not like to see politicians defending deviant doctors  once the exercise begins,” the minister said, though short of stating when the exercise was due to start.

 

She was responding to a supplementary question by Special Seats MP, Munde Abdallah (CCM) who wanted to know about the government’s plan in addressing  the shortage of health expertise in nine regional hospitals, namely Tabora, Singida, Geita,Rukwa, Kigoma,  Katavi, Njombe, Simiyu and Shinyanga. 

 

In another development, the government has reiterated its plan to ensure all the referral hospitals in the country are equipped with Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI), CT-Scan and x-ray equipments as minister of State in the President's Office-Public Service Management and Good Governance, Angellah Kairuki told parliamentarian in the same session.

 

“The government plans to install patient monitor, pulse oxymeter and oxygen concentrator in all regional hospitals,” she said implying additional facilities that are involved in the plan.

 

She was responding to a question by Special Seats MP, Munde Abdallah (CCM) who had wanted to know if the government had a plan to provide Tabora regional hospitals with necessary medical equipments. 

 

The questions were typical of public complaints that patients at the nation’s leading medical institution Muhimbili National Hospital had been deprived of basic services due to shortage of medical gear, describing the situation regional referral hospitals as unbearable.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

 The government needs 747.8bn/- to implement a major water project in draught stricken Simiyu Region the Deputy Minister for Water and Irrigation Isack Kamwela told the Parliament yesterday.

 

He was responding to a question posed by Special Seats MP Gimbi Masaba (CCM) who pointed out that despite being close to Lake Victoria, Simiyu region suffers dire water shortages.

 

She also inquired as to what other initiatives are underway to improve water supply in the various districts of Simiyu region like Bariadi, Maswa, Meatu, Itilima and Busega.

 

“It is unfair that we continue experiencing water shortages while we are only a few miles away from Lake Victoria,” she said.

 

“Tell us plan what plan the fifth government phase has to ensure we have reliable water supply,” she demanded. 

 

In his response, Deputy Minister Kamwela said a feasibility study of the water project was presented to the ministry in October last year and the project is now at the design stage.

 

 “The government is now seeking funds from different sources, including international organisations and once the funds are available the project will start,” said the deputy minister.

 

He reassured the House that the fifth government is poised to implement various water projects across the country with a vision to reach 95 per cent of all urban areas and 85 per cent of rural areas over the next five years alone.

 

 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Many graduates reported jobless

 

This was revealed here by the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr Anthony Mavunde, while responding to a basic question by Vvawa MP, Mr Japhet Hasunga (CCM), who wanted to know the number of unemployed graduates in the country.

The Deputy Minister however said the government was still putting in place conducive environment to enable the youth to be employed or engage in self-employment through provision of credit facilities.

He mentioned other measures to create jobs as strengthening of the Tanzania Employment Services Agency (TAESA). “There is also a plan in the pipeline to boost skills development which is slated to start in the coming fiscal year,” he stated.

Mr Mavunde noted on the other hand that limited funds have been holding back the government from conducting regular studies on unemployment

Clerics say not part of Hamad’s letter to Pope

 

At a press conference, the priests, led by Dickson Kaganga from the Assemblies of God Church, said they were not involved in any way in preparing the letter to the Pope and that reports in the social media that they were part of the mission are false.

“Everyone is free to write to the Pope, and therefore we were not involved to write the letter to the Pope,” said Bishop Kaganga, who was flanked by Bishop Michael Hafidh of the Zanzibar Diocese of the Anglican Church of Tanzania.

It was widely reported last week that Mr Hamad wrote a letter to the Pope, seeking intervention to the political stalemate – as he maintains to have won the 2015 general elections before the whole exercise was nullified by the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) Chairman, Mr Jecha Salim Jecha.

Meanwhile, Zanzibar President Ali Mohamed Shein led hundreds of mourners in the burial of CCM cadre and former Member of the House of Representatives Ramadhani Nyonje Pandu, who passed away in Oman on transit back home from India where he went for treatment.

The late Nyonje represented Muyuni Constituency in the Isles House before the 2010 elections

Govt launches second 5 year development plan

 
 The government yesterday unveiled the second five year development plan (FYDP II) 2016/2017-2020/21 framework that focuses on industry economy.

The outline of the second National Five Year Development Plan which aims to implement the Tanzania Development Vision 2025 was tabled in the capitol before the parliament planning committee by the deputy minister for Finance, Dr Ashatu Kijaji.

 

 She said the flagship projects to be considered under the FYDP II will include comprehensive Special Economic Zones in Bagamoyo, new ports in Mtwara and Kigoma to attract labour-intensive manufacturing industries.

“The new development plan is in line with President John Magufuli’s plan to have a new Tanzania based on an industrial economy” she told members of parliament.

 

The SEZs, according to the deputy minister will increase agro-processing and value addition, targeting domestic and regional market.

 

Within the five year period, the government will also focus on the establishment of the Kurasini trade and logistic hub and also establish an agricultural city at Mkunazi.

 

Other projects include exploitation of iron ore deposits at Liganga and coal from Mchuchuma mines and preparatory work to develop a rail connection to the Mtwara port as well as establishment of chemical and glass sheets factories based on soda ash deposits from Lake Natron and Engeruka basin.

Under the FYDT II, the government will also construct a new central railway line of standard gauge and also establish an automotive manufacturing and assembly factory.

 

On youth empowerment, the government has promised to conduct mass training of young Tanzanians in specialized skills in the areas of oil and gas, engineering, health care among others. This is aimed at imparting a pool of labour –force with specialized skills in oil and gas, engineering, medicine and chemical industries.

 

To achieve the goals, she said the government has withdrawn from direct involvement in the production of goods and services leaving it to the private sector to play the key and active role in undertaking investments and projects under the plan.

 

Dr Kijaji noted that some of the specific ways in which financing can be solicited from the private sector include devising strategies to lure the local and foreign private sector to participate in identifying potential priorities in the plan.

 

The private sector can also be involved in nurturing a culture of integrity and adherence to corporate social responsibilities and disclosure of regulations in order to facilitate the estimation of resources available in private sector and their sources.

 

“This requires significant efforts to build and strengthen trust between the two agents,” she observed.

 

“The government will also be involved in developing a mechanism to facilitate pooling of individuals’ savings and resources thus encouraging parties to unite and undertake joint projects that are bigger and more profitable,” she added.

 

On the same note, the deputy minister outlined key lessons to carry forward in the formulation and subsequent implementation of FYDP I.

 

They include admission that high economic growth is necessary but not a sufficient condition to reduce poverty significantly as it is equally important to focus on the quality of that growth. She noted that it is important to have an effective implementation framework targeting few priorities with key performance indicators and a robust monitoring and evaluation system for good results.

 

The new plan, she said, needs to be based on close supervision and coordination of sector ministries decision on national strategic projects at the implementation stage for success and will need to be strengthened.

 

There is also need to strengthen systems for collection, storage, retrieval and dissemination of data and statistics in order to facilitate adequate monitoring and follow up on the implementation.

 

To determine the FYDP II focus, she said the government engaged consultants with groups of targeted internal and international stakeholders who came up with key recommendations.

 

 The experts proposed that the plan focus on development of industries that produce goods that the country has comparative advantage over, goods for which raw materials are available in the country such as agricultural output, coal, uranium, nickel, phosphate and soda ash.

 

The new plan, according to them, should also see development of Mtwara/Lindi as a new source of heavy industry growth, power generation, gas economy and range of industries that can be fueled by gas.

 

The experts also recommended development of special economic zones capable of bringing noticeable impact to the economy as well as efficient exploitation of the central corridor in distribution of resources from the port to interior parts of Tanzania.

 

The plan to foster change should also include establishment of assembling industries with a view of creating domestic capacity to produce in the near future and serve the regional market. 

 

The framework of the plan was tabled before the parliament planning committee, awaiting further scrutiny and discussion when the house resumes from today.

 

Some members of parliament who aired their opinion on the framework urged the government to be more specific on its project areas.

 

Sikonge MP, Joseoph Kakunda(CCM) said that the proposed industrialization should be specific and show which areas government investment will be based on and which will be under the private sector.

 

His Karagwe counterpart, Joseph Kizito (CCM) observed that in the plan, there was no analysis on how the external forces will affect or kill local industries.

 

“The team of experts engaged ought to have considered factors that affect local industries in accordance with the national industrialization guidelines,” he said.

 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

UKAWA position on Z’bar political impasse Thursday

This was revealed here by UKAWA Co-chairman Mr Freeman Mbowe who doubles as Chadema national chairman. Zanzibar Electoral Commission last week announced that fresh elections in Isles will be held on March 20.

Mr Mbowe was speaking just a day after the coalition held a one-day closed door meeting that brought together Chadema flag bearer in October polls Edward Lowassa, Zanzibar first Vice President Mr Seif Sharif Hamad and all MPs from the coalition.

Mr Mbowe said that they had received detailed report on Zanzibar political situation and all MPs from the coalition reached a common conclusion. “On January 28 there will be an executive committee meeting that will come out with what exactly should be done in regard to Zanzibar political stalemate,” he noted.

He added that Civic United Front (CUF) Central Committee will also issue its stance on the matter which for a number of days has left Zanzibaris in dilemma. Mr Mbowe pointed out that peace cannot exist if democratic principles are not respected, thus it was high time the conflicting parties resolved the stalemate once and for all.

On his part, Malindi MP on CUF ticket Ally Salehe believed that President John Magufuli has mandate to intervene and help resolve the impasse. He said that Saturday’s meeting held in Dodoma gave them confidence and he believed that they will stand united to safeguard their right.

Singida East MP Tundu Lissu said that presidential election cannot be challenged in court and that’s why they were seeking other alternatives. Zanzibar Electoral body had nullified October polls on grounds of being marred with several irregularities.

There have been several attempts to find nonviolent solution to the standoff. President John Magufuli had on different times met with Zanzibar First Vice- President Mr Seif Sharif Hamad and Zanzibar President Dr Ally Mohamed Shein to see how to peacefully end the stalemates.

Lesotho tasked to announce results of inquiry

 

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s office, the order was made to the Lesotho’s Premier, Dr Pakallitha Mosisili, by the SADC Stroika Chairman and President of Botswana Lt. Gen. Ian Khama.

The Double Troika Summit (DTS) of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) was attended by presidents Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique and Jacob Zuma of South Africa.

Others who attended included Prime Minister Mr Kassim Majaliwa of Tanzania and the Zimbabwean Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Simbarashe Mumbengegwi.

“During the meeting, the delegation received and endorsed the Report of the Commission of Inquiry, and urged the Lesotho’s government to implement its recommendations as a way to end all political misunderstandings facing the country at the moment,” said the statement.

Other directives that were issued to the country include to prepare a roadmap for the implementation of the reforms as contained in the SADC Facilitator’s Final Report, the report is supposed to be submitted to the next summit in August this year.

The Double Troika Summit urged the Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho and all political stakeholders to actively contribute to a conducive environment to allow the safe return to Lesotho of the opposition leaders and members of the Security forces who are in exile.

According to Tanzania ambassador to South Africa, who also represents Tanzania in Lesotho, Ms Radhia Msuya, the Summit aimed at ensuring peace, stability and economic well-being among its member states. “SADC Double Troika is a special summit by heads of state in the region forming the organ on politics, defence and security cooperation,” she said.

The Lesotho political crisis is linked by the killing of the country’s former Chief of Defence Forces, Lt. Gen. Maaparankoe Mahao, in June 2015, where some of citizens were arrested and others being detained.

The Summit was also attended by the SADC Facilitator to the Kingdom of Lesotho, Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, the Executive Secretary of SADC, Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, and the Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry, Mr Mpaphi Phumaphi.

Capturing a year in the life of a penguin colony

25 January 2016 Last updated at 00:23 GMT

Scientists are working in Antarctic penguin colonies, setting up remote cameras.
Their images and footage - capturing the entire Antarctic year in time-lapse - have revealed some of the threats to the continent's penguins.
Science reporter Victoria Gill joined the team on the latest phase of their research.

Zika virus: Outbreak 'likely to spread across Americas' says WHO

The Zika virus is likely to spread across nearly all of the Americas, the World Health Organization has warned.

The infection, which causes symptoms including mild fever, conjunctivitis and headache, has already been found in 21 countries in the Caribbean, North and South America.
It has been linked to thousands of babies being born with underdeveloped brains and some countries have advised women not to get pregnant.
No treatment or vaccine is available.
The virus is native to Africa and was first found to be spreading in the Americas in Brazil in May 2015.
The lack of any natural immunity in the Americas is thought to be helping the infection to spread rapidly.

Mosquito

Zika is transmitted by the bite of Aedes mosquitoes, which are found in all countries in the region except Canada and Chile.
In a statement, The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the regional office of the WHO, said: "PAHO anticipates that Zika virus will continue to spread and will likely reach all countries and territories of the region where Aedes mosquitoes are found."

Image copyright AFP

It also confirmed the virus had been detected in semen and there was "one case of possible person-to-person sexual transmission" but further evidence was still needed.
Around 80% of infections do not result in symptoms.
But the biggest concern is the potential impact on babies developing in the womb. There have been around 3,500 reported cases of microcephaly - babies born with tiny brains - in Brazil alone since October.
PAHO warned pregnant women to be "especially careful" and to see their doctor before and after visiting areas affected by the virus.

Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador and Jamaica last week recommended women delay pregnancies until more was known about the virus.
Although officially PAHO says "any decision to defer pregnancy is an individual one between a woman, her partner and her healthcare provider".
Maria Conceicao Queiroz said there was a sense of fear where she lives near the Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro: "Every one is at risk, we're all scared of getting Zika.
"We're surrounded with dirty water, polluted water, but what can we do but put repellent on, to try to keep the mosquitoes away."

Global threat

Prof Laura Rodrigues, a fellow of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said some data suggested that up to one-in-fifty babies had birth defects in one of the worst hit areas - Pernambuco state in Brazil.
She said: "Until November we knew nothing, this has caught us by surprise and we're trying to learn as fast as we can.
"Wherever there is dengue, there is mosquito, then it will spread and not just in Americas I think there is a very real chance it will spread in Asia."