PERMANENT Secretary for Home Affairs Ally Gugu has applauded the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Police and Prisons Healthcare Project, saying it has helped reach 223,201 people with HIV/AIDS services.

The project is a five-year initiative implemented in 35 districts of Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar meant to improve access, quality and strengthen comprehensive HIV and TB prevention, care and treatment services in 64 supported health facilities.

In a speech read on his behalf during a stakeholder meeting in Dodoma yesterday by the Director of Probation Services in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Charles Nsanze, he noted that between August 2020 and July 2024 the project reached 223,201 people with HIV/AIDS services whereby 8,214 knew their HIV positive status and were linked with medical service providers. 

The project has also provided crucial medical equipment such as X-ray machines in some of the police and prison health facilities.

He said during the same period, a total of 2,797 people were diagnosed with tuberculosis and initiated treatment at various health facilities.

“It is evident that USAID Police and Prisons Healthcare project has highlighted the need to improve access to healthcare services to prisoners, police and prison personnel, their families and the neighbouring communities around the 64 health facilitates national wide” he said.

The US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funds the USAID Police and Prisons Healthcare project to support implementing comprehensive HIV and TB prevention, care and treatment services in 64 police and prisons health facilities in Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar.

The project is implemented by Tanzanian Health Promotion Support (THPS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs through the Police Medical Unit (PMU) and Prisons Health and Nutrition Unit (PHNU) which have the mandate to oversee health matters.

Speaking on behalf of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Camillus Wambura, DCP Lucas Mkondya thanked PEPFAR, USAID and TPHS for the support and implementation of the project.

He said through the project, health service providers in both prison and police have been trained in different areas including prevention and treatment of the diseases.

He said police are well prepared to ensure sustainability of services in the event of termination of the project’s external funding.
“On behalf of IGP, I applaud the PEPFAR, USAID and THPS for the project that has brought great benefit to our prisons and police,” he said, adding that there is need to take the project to district and lower levels since it is only at regional levels.

George Anatory, TPHS Chief Operations Officer (COO) commended the government for the cooperation during implementation of the project, calling for the need for further collaboration to deal with other diseases, especially non-communicable ones.

 “THPS is committed to collaborating with the relevant ministries to ensure the health status of Tanzanians is improved through provision of appropriate interventions and sustainable delivery of health services,” he said.