ZANZIBAR President Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi has pledged to address all issues discussed at the recently concluded 11th Tanzania Health Summit, emphasising the urgency of implementing necessary changes to improve public health.

The summit, held at the Nyamanzi Business Centre in Unguja, brought together health experts, government officials and stakeholders to discuss critical health challenges facing the nation.

In his closing remarks yesterday, Dr Mwinyi underscored that the summit serves not merely as a forum for dialogue but as a catalyst for actionable plans aimed at enhancing health outcomes for all citizens.

 He affirmed the government’s commitment to collaborating with the Union government, the private sector and development partners to tackle pressing health issues.

Key challenges identified during the summit include reducing maternal and infant mortality rates, ensuring the availability of essential medicines, strengthening health infrastructure, improving access to health information, and effectively controlling both communicable and non-communicable diseases.

 “The resolutions and recommendations arising from this summit will not end here; they will guide us in strengthening the health sector across the country,” he stated.

 The Health ministry needs to incorporate these recommendations into their annual action plans to ensure effective implementation, he directed.

Health minister Nassor Ahmed Mazrui said that the summit provided a platform for analysing health challenges and fostering collaboration among health experts.

 Hosting the summit in Zanzibar was meant to catalyse improvements in health services, ensuring that care is accessible from small health centres to district and referral hospitals he said.

The government has been actively collaborating with the private sector to enhance healthcare services across various areas, ensuring that residents of Zanzibar receive quality healthcare.

 He encouraged all participants to leverage the training and discussions from the summit to improve healthcare services, urging those yet to engage in health research to begin, as research has proven effective in addressing various health challenges.

Dr Omar Chillo, the president of the Tanzania Health Summit, called for ongoing cooperation among stakeholders to drive meaningful change in the health sector across Tanzania.

 The summit concluded with a renewed commitment from all parties involved to prioritise health issues and work collectively towards a healthier future for all Tanzanians.