MPs hail integration of Reproductive Health and HIV & AIDS

By AJAAT

The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee of Social Services, Margaret Sitta has said that integration of reproductive health, family planning and HIV/AIDS can enhance health services operations under one roof.

Hon. Sitta (pictured) said those were operational programmes that could be joined together to enhance outcomes. She said the importance of integration is to achieve multiple key goals.

Presenting the Rationale for Integration of Reproductive Health and HIV Services in Tanzania, James Mlali from Human Development Trust (HDT) said 80 per cent of HIV infections are sexually transmitted. Mlali said addressing reproductive health and HIV together can better serve both clients and providers comprehensively with less costs. 

Mlali who is also an Advocacy Officer of the Advanced Family Planning (AFP) at HDT was presenting the subject to the members of the Committee of Social Services and HIV and AIDS issues in Dodoma recently during the just ended parliamentary sessions. He said integration can prevent new HIV infections among women and girls as well. 

The Advocacy Officer said also Prevention of Mother to Child transmission (PMTCT) and supporting reproductive rights and fertility choices of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) were among the goals of the integration.

The one day workshop, brought together the two committees of HIV issues and the Social Services, was conducted at Dodoma Hotel. During the workshop the committee members were told that the importance of integration included reproductive health was essential for prevention, care and treatment of HIV/AIDS.

Mlali explained other important aspects of integration of reproductive health and HIV as to reduce costs of service provision. He said drop - out rates of clients caused by referrals would be reduced and also reduction of stigma, denial and discrimination which result from access to services in separate units. 

Speaking during the workshop, the Kigamboni MP, Hon. Dr. Faustine Ndugulile said the move was welcomed but the challenge is shortage of health personnel in most facilities in Tanzania. 

Dr. Ndungulile said Tanzania health sector has a shortage of 62 per cent of human resource needed in the sector currently including inadequate technical skills at facility level.

Contributing during integration workshop, the Parliament Chairperson Committee of HIV issues, Lediana Mung’ongo said family planning integrations to HIV has started in PMTCT, VCT, CTC and HBC just to mention a few. The workshop drew a total of 25 members from different constituencies.