The African Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to issue
about $9.4 million (Sh. 15.5 billion) to Tanzania government on loan basis to
help provide high quality and competitive skilled workforce in biomedical
science programmes in the country. The signing agreement for the loan was held on
Friday last week in Dar es Salaam at a colourful ceremony whereby Tanzania
government was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of
Finance Dr. Servacius Likwelile and ADB resident representative in the country
Tonia Kandiero. According to Dr. Likwelile, the programme focusing on cardio
vascular diseases will be conducted at Muhimbili University of Health and
Allied Sciences (MUHAS), is intended to provide technical skills on medical
experts in four major training skills that includes, leveraging knowledge base
on ICTs, research and service delivery for cost effectiveness and efficiency. Others
are provision of modern equipments with appropriate technologies and remote
guidance on other health institutions and enable them to share in the guidance
and expertise of the limited of specialists’ within the East African community.
The signing agreement will make Tanzania become the first centre of excellence
for skills and tertiary education in Biomedical programme among the East
African countries, whereby the same programme would be made available later in
other East African countries of Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.
On her part, the Bank’s resident
representative in Tanzania Tonia Kandiero has congratulated Tanzania for being
the first among other East African countries and noted that, this is a key
milestone to the implementation of the programme. She noted that, it is
estimated that the East African community is accessing approximately $ 150 million
(Sh. 250 billion) annually for biomedical related services from outside the
region. With this dependence, however, she clarified that, Tanzania project will
be part of the network centres that will contribute to a reduction in foreign
dependency and expenditures for diagnostics and treatments mainly in Europe,
North America and South Asia She said that, the project falls within the
priorities of the Bank’s country strategy for Tanzania (2011- cost amounting to
$ 0.75 million) An official from the Ministry of Finance who identified by one
name Kuchaka told the Guardian in a
telephone interview that, Tanzania has been given 90 days to fulfill the
conditions of agreement entered, and thereafter the implementation of the
project would start on straight.2015 and the Banks’ Capital Strategy 2013-2017)
and the new education model for Africa which aims to address labour market
needs and skills, adoption of ICT, support and research activities. According
to her, under this project, the total cost for Tanzania is $ 9.4 million o0f which her Bank finances
90 percent of the total cost, while the government contributes 10 percent of
the total
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