IN response to rising cholera cases in the Mwanza and Simiyu regions, the United States has issued an additional 1.18bn/- ($500,000) to support hygiene efforts in the two regions.

Andrew Lentz, the chargé d’affaires at the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam said in a statement issued yesterday that tis initiative builds on existing U.S. government health support to communities affected by cholera outbreaks in the country.

The aid is being channelled to the clean water and sanitation project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) which has provided 591m/- ($0.25m) each to Simiyu and Mwanza regions.

The agency has also deployed water, sanitation and hygiene technical teams to support the respective regional health offices, while the embassy said that the teams, in coordination with local stakeholders, are providing life-saving water purification tablets, disinfecting water sources and delivering community awareness programs to stop the spread of cholera.

 “Our swift action reflects our commitment to saving lives and reducing the spread of cholera in Tanzania,” he said, underlining that the United States remains a steadfast partner in strengthening Tanzania’s health systems, “which includes promoting access to clean water and sanitation—critical elements in combating this preventable disease.”

Earlier this year, the US provided 473m/- ($0.2m) in emergency funding to support cholera prevention and response efforts following outbreaks affecting 18 regions across Tanzania. 

Since September 2023, cholera cases have increased in Tanzania, with over 2,200 reported cases and over 40 deaths, prompting USAID and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to intensify efforts in the country’s health sector.

Technical teams are working closely with local community leaders to increase access to clean water, educate community healthcare workers and residents on effective prevention measures,

They are also supporting the rapid deployment of outbreak response teams, with CDC providing purification tablets to people with HIV and leading control efforts at facilities supported by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the statement indicated. 

Additional support will strengthen coordination, mobilize resources and empower heavily affected communities in the two regions to stop the spread of cholera and save lives.

The funding is part of a broader 118.19bn/- ($50m) U.S. commitment to transform water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure across the country even as to date, over two million more people have access to safe water and improved sanitation due to this support, it added.