Press Release
Ambassador Green Officially Opens New Care & Treatment Clinic (CTC) At Benjamin William Mkapa District Hospital
November 20th 2008
On November 21st, Ambassador of the United States of America Mark Green launched a new Care & Treatment Center (CTC) at Benjamin William Mkapa District Hospital in Mpwapwa outside of Dodoma. The Ambassador was joined by Mr. Zawadiel Mchome – Regional Administrative Secretary (RAS) for Dodoma, Ms. Halima Dendegu – District Commissioner (DC) for Mpwapwa, Dr. Seif Mhina – District Medical Officer (DMO) for Mpwapwa, USAID Mission Director Rob Cunnane, Mr. Joe Eshun of Deloitte, Dr. Ilana Lapidos-Salaiz, PEPFAR implementing partner TUNAJALI Program Director and Eric VonPraag of Family Health International (FHI); Col. Petroquin and other representatives from the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA); two U.S. Peace Corps volunteers serving in the Mpwapwa area, Mpwapwa District Hospital staff and members of the community.
The Mpwapwa District Hospital is a government-owned entity named after a former president Benjamin William Mkapa. Hospital services are available to all members of the public, with a catchment area of approximately 254,500 people and a HIV prevalence rate of 5%. Children five years old and younger receive free service, and people living with HIV/ AIDS receive antiretroviral drugs, drugs for opportunistic infections, and related lab services all free of charge.
As the only hospital in the district presently designated to provide treatment services for patients with HIV/AIDS, the Mpwapwa District Hospital has faced great challenges trying to meet the needs of its ever-expanding patient load. The hospital is the primary location for patients to receive maternal and child health services, testing and treatment for malaria and sexually transmitted infections, as well as TB and leprosy services. In addition, the hospital links with lower health centers throughout the district for referrals, and facilitates linkages to programs providing home-based care for people living with HIV/AIDS and support for orphans and vulnerable children.
The new Care and Treatment Clinic (CTC) at the Benjamin William Mkapa District Hospital has been constructed in response to a great demand for improved HIV/AIDS services in the district. Previously, the only space available for HIV/AIDS services consisted of a single room, shared with the national TB/Leprosy Program. Without a fully functioning CTC, patients were often forced to travel long distances to Dodoma Town, at financial hardship, or have to forego some essential monitoring services. The new 12-room CTC provides beneficiaries with sustainable comprehensive care and improved quality of services through increased privacy, reduced stigma, and easier access.
Funding for the new CTC was provided through a Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) initiative. The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) partner care and treatment provider Deloitte/Tunajali played a primary role in facilitating project development, and provided furnishings and supplementary materials to the new CTC.
The U.S. Peace Corps has also played a role in supporting comprehensive services at this site, as volunteers and program staff, together with members of the community, have prepared a demonstrative Permaculture garden nearby. The garden will serve as a hands-on training site for patients and hospital staff to learn improved farming techniques. In addition to the opening of the new CTC, this event will also provide a venue to launch the Permaculture training video produced by Deloitte/Tunajali in cooperation with the U.S. Peace Corps. The video is part of a bigger training program that is being employed by Peace Corps Volunteers and PEPFAR implementing partners nationwide, and provides step-by-step instruction on how to replicate improved gardening techniques in home gardens.
Permaculture is a broad-based and holistic approach to farming that has many applications to all aspects of life. The approach addresses the issue of sustainable food production close to home, with an emphasis on low inputs and diverse crops. This model is ideal for families affected with HIV/AIDS who may not have the ability to maintain a large, remote farm, and whose treatment regimens require improved nutrition. This comprehensive approach to farming complements the holistic care offered by the CTC; both initiatives support the development of healthy societies in supportive and sustainable ways.
This event represents a progressive and comprehensive response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Tanzania, and demonstrates a strong working partnership between the American people and the people of Mpwapwa. The United States of America is a global leader in combating HIV/AIDS worldwide through PEPFAR, the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. This 10-year, $30 billion program, is the largest initiative in history to combat a single disease. Since its inception in 2003, the American people have provided over $817 million to combat HIV/AIDS throughout Tanzania. The United States will continue to work closely with the United Republic of Tanzania to strengthen the health of this nation and fulfill President Kikwete’s vision of a “Tanzania free of HIV.”