THE Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) has invested an average of 180mn/- in renovating and building new health infrastructure for delivering decent health services.

The projects cover the construction of blocks for patients to rest alongside housing projects for health professionals to reside in Dodoma and Ruvuma regions.
 
In the village of Mdundualo, Peramiho Ward, Songea District, Ruvuma Region, the project of a health center and a residential property has reduced the risk of access to health services and reduced the deaths of pregnant women who lose their lives while on the way to receive health services away from the village.
 
Speaking about the benefits of the projects in the village of Mdundualo, interviewed residents have said that the presence of nurses and a medical doctor for 24 hours has accelerated the provision of health services.

Agustino Luhwoga, a resident of the village who is also the custodian of the health center, said that previously the service at the center was limited, provided only from morning to evening from Monday to Friday.

He explained that on Saturdays and Sundays there was no service because the nurses and doctors were not available. The health professionals had to incur back and forth costs every day to provide services as their residence was in Peramiho town.

"Some of the patients were losing their lives on the way to seek treatments. They went to the town, but now the service providers are here, we don't need to travel far. We are grateful for the completion of the construction of the residential units," said Luhwoga.

Mdundualo Village Executive Officer, Zawadi Mlapone, said the construction project of the residential houses, a water well and eight toilets has helped to improve health services at the center.
 
"We are asking the government and TASAF to help us buy an ambulance for emergencies when required to refer patients to Peramiho or Songea hospitals for specialist treatment," said Zawadi.
 
TASAF Coordinator for Songea Municipality, Hosana Ngunge, said the project commenced last year after being requested by the citizens and was completed in March this year.
 
"This project worth 179mn/- covered construction of a residential house for a lead nurse and a doctor, eight toilets, a deep drilled well and an incinerator," said Ngunge.

On his part, the Acting Director of the Songea District Council, Hassan Mtamba, thanked TASAF for the project in which the government collaborates with citizens to sustain the infrastructure.
 
In Dodoma, TASAF has implemented a 3mn/- project to build a mother and child care block. The block has been constructed at Makole health center and has helped to enable women to be treated in a decent environment.
 
Before the construction of the building, the people of Makole Ward followed the mother and child services such as vaccinations were being held in the tarpaulin at the center’s premises.
 
Makole Ward Executive Officer Suzan Yohana said that before the block was built, the people were experiencing great hardships in offering health services attributed to rain, wind and dust.
 
"Women were coming from different places to receive the mother and child care clinic here. Providing services in a tarpaulin was not easy. At the moment, we are thankful that we have found a good building and the people are getting services in a good environment," said Suzan.
 
Suzan commended TASAF for bringing comfort to mother and child services and now women have been receiving services in a decent and safe environment.
 
"We thank TASAF for this building which is now used to provide services in the best environment. TASAF have been very good stakeholders in improving mother and child services," said Suzan.
 
Joyce Kimario, Acting Nurse in-charge at Makole health center said the block was built last year.
 
Tumaini Myeule, a midwife at the center, said women are enjoying the service after the construction of the building.
 
Makole Ward Community Management Committee member Neema Tandi said the residents of Makole Ward who are the beneficiaries of the building are enjoying the services because in the past they faced difficult circumstances.
 
"When we used the tarpaulin, there were times when services stopped due to wind or rain. Today we have found this building where women enjoy the services of vaccination," said Neema.