Detailed Mechanism Funding and Narrative

Years of mechanism: 2010 2011 2012 2013

Details for Mechanism ID: 12249
Country/Region: Tanzania
Year: 2012
Main Partner: Ministry of Health and Social Welfare - Tanzania
Main Partner Program: NA
Organizational Type: Host Country Government Agency
Funding Agency: HHS/CDC
Total Funding: $500,000

The goal of the program is to ensure that the National Health Laboratory Services and Training schools are strengthened through human resource capacity building and infrastructure improvement. The overall objective is to strengthen National Health Laboratory Services in URT, covering all levels of laboratory services in the country and all groups of people, including adults and children, irrespective of gender.

The main strategies are to build human resource capacity and improve infrastructure within the existing government system, enhancing sustainability and provision of cost effective quality laboratory services. In order to implement these strategies successfully, collaborations will be initiated with the private sector and other NGOs under the Public Private Partnership framework. The Program will also continue to convince URT to increase the budget for laboratory services over time. Furthermore, monitoring the projects progress against financial expenditures using performance indicators will be evaluated twice a year with corrective actions taken, if needed.

No extra vehicle will be required, however maintenance costs of the four existing program vehicles will need to be budgeted, including the costs for insurance. Maintenance of the laboratory building and laboratory equipments, including a standby generator as a power back up, will also be required.

This support to MOHSW is in line with USG/T commitments in the Partnership Framework on service maintenance and scale-up (Goal 1), Leadership, Management, Accountability, and Governance (Goal 3) and human resources (Goal 5).

Funding for Laboratory Infrastructure (HLAB): $500,000

The Diagnostic Services Section (DSS) of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW), working in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Programs (NACP), oversees national laboratory services and provides leadership as well as technical assistance to institutions of the national laboratory system so they may establish and sustain efficient laboratory services. The DSS develops policy guidelines, sets agendas, coordinates national laboratory activities, and interacts with donors.

The major strengths of the DSS include the participation and support of laboratory regulatory authorities such as the Private Health Laboratory Body (PHLB) and the Health Laboratory Professional Council (HLPC), donor support, and public-private partnerships. Despite these strengths, the DSS currently has limited capacity to effectively manage the National Health Laboratory Strategic Plan. This lack of institutional capacity represents the fundamental problem that COP 2012 funds will address. USG/T provided previous assistance to the MOHSW to complete the National Health Laboratory Strategic Plan 2009-2015. USG/T will continue supporting the institutional capacity building to MOHSW DSS to better plan, manage, and direct the development of a national health laboratory system.

The main goal of COP 2012 funds is to support the following areas:- Coordination and policy development- Implementation of Lab Quality Systems through National Health Laboratory Quality Assurance and Training Center (NHLQATC)- Implementation and coordination of laboratory continuing education program through NHLQATC- Facilitation of the implementation of Laboratory Information System- Provision of maintenance and service contracts of lab equipment nationally- Local capacity building to carry out nationwide HIV Drug Resistance surveillance.