Tanzania’s elapsed national and MDGS

By AJAAT

Tanzania is one of the 189 nations, which endorsed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), in September 2000 as part of the internationally agreed-upon development goals at the General Assembly of the United Nations.

The MDGs initiative calls upon developed and developing countries to work in partnership towards a world with less poverty, hunger and disease, greater survival prospects for mothers and infants, guaranteeing basic education for children, equal opportunities for women, and a healthier environment in support of the Agenda 21 principles of sustainable development.

Family planning can contribute governments around the world are focused on combating poverty and achieving a range of health and development goals, such as those outlined in the United Nations and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Although Africa has just 12% of the global population, it accounts half of all maternal deaths and half the deaths of children under five and to attain the MDGs 4 and 5 on maternal and child health are lagging far behind target.

The MDGs provide a framework of time-bound targets by which progress can be measured and commitment of all nations tracked. Statistical experts selected indicators to be used to assess progress over the period from 1990 to 2015, when targets are expected to be met.

The Tanzania Millennium Development Goals Report mid-way evaluation covering achievements in 2000 to 2008 report the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) is unlikely to be achieved by 2015.

MDG goal 5 is to improve maternal health with two targets; 5A to reduce by three quarters between 1990 and 2015, the MMR and it has two indicators for monitoring progress are 5.1 maternal mortality ratio and 5.2 Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel.

The report conducted by the Poverty Eradication and Economic Empowerment Division at the Ministry of Finance highlighted the MMR target to have 133 per 100,000 live births is unlikely to be attain to met the target.

Computed as percentage passage time thus 2012 the equivalent to 22 years time that has elapsed, MMR according to Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) 2010 report shows it ranks 454 per 100,000 live births.

Maternal mortality rate remains high in Tanzania. About 7,000 women die every year due to pregnancy related complications. Other causes include underweight about 10 per cent of women in child bearing age, anemia 58% as well as long distances to health centres.

Indicator two for proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel is unlikely to be achieved has is shows insignificant improvements in both Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar.

Births attended by skilled health personnel targeted to be 90% by 2015, computed percentage to passage time is beyond the 2008 expected of 77.1% to the time over and done.

The MDG 5B goal is to achieve universal access to reproductive health by 2015, the indicators are contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR), adolescent birth rate, antenatal care coverage at least one visit to at least four visits and unmet need for family planning.

Thus to attain the goal of reducing to 170 Maternal Mortality Rate and increasing the percentage of births attended by skilled health staff to 90 per cent as required by the MDG Goal more efforts are required.

The government has introduced new policy documents and guidelines in place to guide and mobilizing additional resources to support implementation through community participation at all levels by different stake holders to boost its responsibilities’.

Such policies are the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Policy guideline (2003), National Package of Essential RCH Interventions, RCHS strategy: 2005-2010, Adolescent Health and Development Strategy: 2004-2008 and the Adolescent Friendly Service Standards.

Others guidelines are the Road Map for Accelerating the Reduction of Maternal, Newborn and Child Morbidity and Mortality: 2008 -2015 and the National Plan of Action: 2001-2015 to accelerate the elimination of FGM and harmful traditional practices.

This column is a contribution by Advance Family Planning (AFP), a coalition of 10 local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) advocating for family planning access to Tanzania. The project’s thrust is to contribute towards strengthening investments in family planning as a way towards attaining national and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5 in Acceleration of the Reduction of Maternal, Newborn and Child Mortality.