Victims have right to compensation even three years after accident, says minister

People who have sustained accident injuries have the right to compensation even if the accident occurred up to three years ago.

 

The right to claim compensation was clarified yesterday in the House by Minister for Justice and Constitution Affair Asha-Rose Migiro.

Addressing the legislators in Dodoma, she said in Tanzania, the law of torts provides room for a victim to file a civil case for compensation “...even if the accident occurred three years ago,” she said.

 

This was in response to a question by Silvestry Koka, MP for Kibaha Town constituency who wanted to know the legal procedure to be followed by parties to an accident and the timeframe within which the matter would be settled.

 

Earlier, when responding to a principal question, Pereira Silima, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs, explained that the legal procedures of offenses related to road safety, are the same as those of other criminal offenses.

The deputy minister said the Traffic Ordnance Act chapter 168 (R.E 2002) and the Penal Code Act chapter 20 (R.E 2002) stipulate procedures to be followed by both parties of an accident. 

 

“The insurance companies are the ones responsible to settle the damages depending on the nature and severity of the accident, the company’s policies and whether the accident involved property damage or injuries, or both," Silima said.

 

She also pointed out that the legislation sets 60 days for investigations and court proceedings to be handled except for murder case, treason, forgery and economic sabotage. SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Tanzania, Korea ink pact on improving health equipment

 Tanzania and Korea on Tuesday signed an agreement in Dar es Salaam to improve health equipment in the country’s hospitals.

The Korean government will undertake the task through its Korea Foundation for International Health Care (KOFIH).

 

On behalf of Tanzania, the agreement was signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Donald Mmbando while for Korea it was signed by the Deputy Manager of Korean Medical Resources Department, Gong In Jae.

 

Speaking shortly after the signing ceremony, Mmbando noted that Tanzania faces a lot of problems in the health sector. He said they include lack of essential equipment and devices in almost all health centres. 

He said with the assistance from Korea the government will be able to improve the equipment and devices, thus ensuring better provision of health services. 

 

“Once the hospitals have all the required equipment doctors can comfortably attend to their patients,” he said.

 

Dr Mmbando said that once maintenance is carried out on old equipment health centres can provide service for the whole day and night.

However, he appealed to members of the public to support the Health ministry so that it may save the lives of millions of Tanzanians in dire need of medical treatment. 

 

He said the government has done a lot to improve the health sector, and as an example the Muhimbili National Hospital was now capable of conducting heart surgery.

 

“Heart patients can now be treated in the country…we have been able to establish the cardiac centre. Thus the number of patients who were seeking the medical service in India will be greatly reduced,” said Mbando.

For his part, Jae said the health and safety of the people will be ensured under the agreement. 

 

“We are happy to cooperate with the Tanzania government in repairing and improving the health equipment,” he said. SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

New push to finance water infrastructure in developing countries

Looking at the water sector in developing countries like Tanzania, one may cite resource scarcity as a major problem. Of course it is, to a great extent, what with many rivers and lakes drying and some having reduced flows even during the rainy season. And these are the major sources of water supply for domestic, industry, agriculture and ecosystem uses, among others.

 

Short periods of rainfall preceded by long dry seasons have made rivers and other waterbodies lose their ability to store and supply enough water to meet the needs of the various users as was the case in the past several years. Many parts of the world, particularly developing countries, experience acute shortage of water as underground water resources are also being depleted.

 

But while water scarcity prompted by diminishing resources has stalled efforts to uphold the human right to water and realise water security, there are other problemmes that have impacted the realisation of these goals. 

 

“In order to attain the UN Right to Access Safe Water, developing countries need money. Funding is needed to improve infrastructure such as supply and distribution networks, creation of institutions that enforce rules and regulations and proper management of the water sector,” says Prof Benedito Braga, President of the World Water Council.

 

He adds that governments cannot by themselves raise the funds required to make these improvements as a result of which there is need to cooperate with the private sector so that companies can invest.

 

“But government cannot shift its ultimate responsibility to promote access to water for the poor, to the private sector. Even without thinking of making profits, public utilities need funds to provide services. This calls for governments to attract sufficient funds through Public-Private-Partnership so as to enable public utilities to offer services sustainably.”       

The partnership with the private sector should also aim to train locals in operation and management of infrastructure while the government should ensure that water tariffs are set in a manner that does not exclude the poor from accessing clean and safe water. Where tariffs are not low enough for the poor to afford, governments should provide subsidies so that the poor can foot their water bills. This is being done in Chile where the poor receive subsidy to pay for water, electricity and gas.

 

While governments acknowledge that water infrastructure is central to delivering water security in the face of a changing climate, at the global scale they are simply not investing enough to bridge the gap between demand and supply. Financing water infrastructure must take into account the upstream and downstream social, economic and environmental impacts. It must be multi-purpose, addressing current and future needs.

 

Embracing the multi-purpose infrastructure approach will demand new financing solutions, as well as new ways of engaging all users in a genuine shared responsibility for the world’s precious water resources.

 “There are costs involved in financing water infrastructure but the positive impacts of water resources infrastructure and management overweigh the costs,” says Prof Braga.

 

In order to increase the number of poor people who have access to clean and safe water in developing countries, it is vital to finance more development projects in the sector focusing mainly on delivery and quality.  While the cooperation between governments and the private sector could provide the much needed funding for the development of infrastructure, governments should strive to find other sources.

 

“Trans-boundary cooperation is important because countries sharing waterbodies can implement joint projects that focus on infrastructure for supply and distribution. Together they can also deal with the issue of water quality and as such reduce the burden of financing the water sector,” said Global Environmental Facility CEO Naoko Ishi during the Seventh World Water Forum that was held recently in Korea.

 

 However she warned that while the goal is to raise the number of people in developing countries who can have access to clean and safe water, water projects should not undermine the global natural system by destroying ecosystems.

 

“Many African countries are facing acute shortage of water due to rising urbanisation and fast-growing populations both of which put a big strain on resources. However, countries must balance between development projects meant to improve water infrastructure and conservation of ecosystems which play an important part in sustaining freshwater flows,” said the GEF CEO. 

   

WWF International President Yolanda Kakabadze also stresses the importance of the private sector in financing the improvement of water infrastructure. She says that every business is water-dependent in one way or another.

 

 “Given that it is one of the world’s most precious resources, water quality and quantity will increasingly influence a business’s ability to grow, thrive and operate. In advancing corporate water stewardship , companies must play an important role not only in financing water infrastructure that would ensure efficient use of water but also restore and protect healthy, resilient freshwater ecosystems,” she says.

 

Funding for water infrastructure is not a once-off activity, but a continuous process that involves repair and maintenance of existing facilities and construction of new ones. There is therefore a need to have a sustainable financial model that would provide funding for water supply and sanitation services. This could be implemented through the reduction of service costs through improved management by among others, reduction in leakage and development of appropriate technology. 

 

Another measure is the optimisation of resource allocation with subsidies concentrated on the funding of access to services for the poorest and most vulnerable populations.

 

In 2014, the World Water Council (WWC) with The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) created a High-level Panel on Infrastructure Financing for a Water Secure World to set out clear objectives and encourage dialogue on the role of multi-purpose water infrastructure to ensure water security.

 

At the 7th World Water Forum that was held recently in the Republic of Korea the WWC and (OECD) called on policy makers and business leaders to address financing water infrastructure to provide water security for the demands of the global population and global economy. Through the High-level Panel on Infrastructure Financing for a Water Secure World, the two organisations highlighted the increasing need for public and private partnerships to drive the construction of major water infrastructure schemes. 

 

However, it has become evident that there are many risks involved in water projects, a situation that has created a barrier to potential investors in the sector. This has resulted in water infrastructure projects being marginalised compared to other branches of infrastructure investment. 

 

“With the increasing use of water for all kinds of activities – agriculture, industry, energy – water infrastructure needs to be multi-purpose. But multi-purpose water infrastructure presents specific financing problems. The sums involved are typically large and some components are not financially profitable. Many different stakeholders are also affected and conflicts over priorities often arise between them,” says WWC President.  

 

However, evidence shows that existing financial sources are available alongside newer sources of funds. Pension funds, insurance companies, water funds, and climate funds may be pooled to finance the full range of products, services and functions needed for global water security.This investment is necessary today, since water supply and sanitation alone are expected to require USD 6.7 trillion by 2050. 

 

“Despite the fact that financing for the water sector can easily be justified by the pressing need to adapt to global changes including climate, population growth and urbanisation, investment in water infrastructure is underdeveloped. Globally we are simply not doing enough”, says the WWC President.

 

 “We must grasp the big picture connected to water and bring together investors, bankers, economic players and public officials to tackle the infrastructure deficit in new and creative ways,” he adds. 

 

The OECD sees governments as having a lead role to play in attracting new sources of funding water infrastructure and coordinating the use of such funds so that they are used appropriately.

 

 “Governments need to think harder about coordinating the timing of different water investments, maximising their efficiency and being ready to exploit new sources of financing,” says Angel Gurria, OECD Secretary General.

 

Yet in order to achieve water security for human needs, water security for economic development and water security for environmental sustainability, action is required from governments and financial regulators, water regulators and international financing institutions. 

 

Banks, commercial financing and investment institutions, industry and individual water users, water utilities, international and regional agencies all have a role to play in financing water infrastructure for water security.

 

The current water insecurity already dents global economic growth to the tune of USD 500 billion a year, with inadequate water supply and sanitation alone estimated to cost an annual USD 260 billion.  Thus, getting infrastructure financing right is absolutely essential for achieving a water secure world. 

 

 According to Gurria enhanced understanding of water security has been matched by a proliferation of new opportunities to finance water infrastructure. Increasing numbers of developing and middle-income countries are now able to access commercial finance for water infrastructure.

 

 “On top of this, sources of funding have become increasingly diverse. Long-term investors – who at the last count held over USD 87 trillion in assets in the OECD area alone – are looking for the right investment opportunities. We have also seen the creation of new financing vehicles, and institutional arrangements that could be channeled into financing a water secure world,” he notes, adding that it is important to maintain existing infrastructure before seeking funds from other sources.

 

 “First, we can do better with what we have. We can better operate and maintain existing assets to minimise investment needs. We can also avoid generating further needs, by smart water management and increasing coherence across policy areas. We should also acknowledge the enormous diversity of water infrastructure, from small scale projects initiated by local entrepreneurs, to large infrastructure that can serve multiple purposes,” he says.

 

However, governance is important in attracting funding for water infrastructure. There is need to build trust between investors and the water community. This means coordinating across levels of government and the different sectors, strengthening the capacity of water management institutions and enhancing the integrity and transparency of water management.SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Why teenage pregnancies must be fought at all costs

School girls in the country have been reminded to guard themselves against following peer pressure groups which may lead them into early marriages and pregnancies.

 

Education is a basic right and girls have the opportunity of completing their studies no matter their circumstances. But if girls are keen to complete their studies well they should stay away from peer pressure groups because they have the ability to do so. 

 

Further Temeke District Commissioner Sophia Mjema said currently many students are dropping out of school due to situations which can be prevented by students themselves

“I know there are many challenges facing students due to physical and psychological changes, but it is your responsibility to control your changes so that you cannot affect your future,” Mjema said.

 

Mjema made the remarks recently in Dar es Salam during the closure of reproductive health seminar prepared by Women Development Foundation (WAMA) for secondary school students and teachers.

 

However, she said addressing teen pregnancy prevention requires broad efforts that involve families, service providers, schools, faith and community-based organisations, recreation centres, policymakers and youth. 

 

She said together with the support from the government and various organisations to fight against early pregnancies, students themselves have to use their head thinking on how they can escape from that.

 

“You will have nobody to blame if you will not know how to respect yourselves and take care of your bodies,” she insisted.

 

Communications officer for WAMA Philomena Marijani said the seminar is the continuation of ‘Jilinde, Timiza Ndoto Yako’ programme that started last year. The programme aims at educating and remind students especially girls on their reproductive health.

 

“Many girls fail to achieve their goals due to various temptations which come along their ways but they have to be aware that protection starts with them, if they can not guard themselves then the efforts conducted will be useless,” Marijani said.

 

She said it is important for girls’ students to respect their dreams and work for them to become prosperous women in future.

 

The seminar covered peer relationship, traditions affecting reproductive health for young people and reproductive health education in schools and health centres, sexuality, life skills, the concept of advice and counseling, education of STDs and AIDS through prevention, early pregnancies and time management.

 

Last year First Lady, Salma Kikwete challenged parents in Tanzania to complement teachers’ efforts in providing reproductive health education to school girls in an effort to curb early marriages and child pregnancies.

 

The First lady, who is also the Chairperson of Women and Development Foundation (WAMA), made the remarks when launching a new campaign dubbed ‘Jilinde Utimize Ndoto Yako’. 

 

She said parents should know that they have a role in addressing child pregnancies at a family level through talking and teaching their girls on reproductive health matters.

 

“Majority of the parents have left this big task to teachers without knowing that they are also responsible,” the first lady noted.

“Child pregnancies and early marriages can be controlled if parents are fully engaged in educating the girls…this can be done by talking and giving them tips on maternal health,” she added.

 

She said it is important for the girls to know their value in society and to also plan who they want to be in future. 

“Girls need to be told clearly that they don’t have to engage in sexual relations while at school,” she said.

 

In Tanzania, 13 per cent of girls under the age of 15 are already engaged in sexual relations, according to statistics.

 

According to the Ministry of Health, teenage pregnancies and deliveries are among the country’s worst challenges accounting for more than half (55 per cent) of total deliveries in 2012. 

 

 She said the challenge is much bigger in rural areas than it is in urban centres.

 

 For her part, Engender Health Technical Director Feddy Mwanga noted that 53 per cent of children aged 19 years get pregnant every year. He said the occurrence disrupts their future because they are then forced to drop from school.

 

She said that situation has contributed to the increase of premature babies due to the fact that the young girl’s reproductive organs are not matured enough to carry a baby.

 

She said the organisation has managed to increase the number of youths accessing maternal health education from 30 per cent on 2009 up to 80 per cent this year.

 

Mwanga detailed that they will continue providing support and giving maternal health education in every school across Dar es Salaam as a way of fighting against early pregnancies.

 

Speaking at the same occasion, Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Said Meck Sadiki said Dar es Salaam, as many other cities in the country, faces high school drop rates due to early pregnancies. 

 

Sadiki noted that statistics from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare show the number of child pregnancies in Dar es Salaam Region increased from 11,419 in 2012 up to 21,042 in 2013.

 

He said like many other African countries, Tanzania is struggling with providing equal education for their girls and because there is a lack of education in the community, girls end up suffering much more than the boys. 

 

The Regional Commissioner added that “At the same time that Tanzania is working to improve educational access as a fundamental human right to all, it must also actively engage all its citizens in changing attitudes regarding women and girls. They should at least be made aware that they can continue with their studies if they were to get pregnant instead of fully dropping out.”

 

He also noted that according the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) research for 2013, Tanzania is among countries with highest number of early pregnancy cases citing 13 per cent of women in the country were sexually harassed before reaching eighteen years of age.

 

“Statistics show that for every I million women who conceive, 23 percent conceive before reaching eighteen years of age,” the health ministry official conceded and noted that UNFPA has warned that the number of girls affected with early pregnancy is still increasing with every 10 women, four being victims of teen pregnancy a situation blamed on poverty,” he noted.

 

Tanzania has a problem of high teenage pregnancy rates. Over 44 percent of Tanzanian girls have given birth or are pregnant by the age of 19. It also has one of the world’s lowest rates of transition of both girls and boys from primary to secondary school, at 36 percent.

 

A national survey in 2009 found that almost a third of Tanzanian girls who had sex before the age of 18 said that it was against their will. 

According to the survey, almost 40 percent of the girls who experienced sexual violence said they were attacked either on the way to or from school or while at school. Perpetrators included teachers who sometimes traded sex for grades, bus conductors and taxi drivers. 

 

All of these challenges to girls will be reduced if girls themselves put to be strong and finding ways on how they can escape especially on the matter of peer groups in schools which seen as one of the factors.SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Hot food in plastic bags? Dangerous

Proper food storage is important for our health. Eating food that has been improperly stored has the potential to make a person sick when he consumes it.

 

Many people have been storing food improperly especially food vendors in urban areas.

 

A survey conducted by this paper in some parts of Dar es Salaam city observed that the majority of food businesses especially those selling chips do not follow the right ways of storing food for their customers who prefer take away package.

 

Vendors use plastic bags as a means of carrying preserved food.

Hundreds of kiosks in the city use plastic bags without   knowing the impact of storing food in them especially putting hot food directly in plastic bags.  

Although the survey was conducted in Dar es Salaam Region only,  the situation is the same in other regions of the country.

 

Plastics are made from chemicals that have the potential to harm a person's health. When food is stored in plastic bags these chemicals can leach into the food and then be ingested.

 

The majority people with kiosks dealing with chips frying  interviewed by The Guardian seem to be unaware on the impact of storing hot food in plastic bags.

 

Ally Khalid, a chips kiosk dealer at Tandale area said he used plastic bags to store chips for his customers.

 

“Since I opened this business the only equipment I used for keeping food for people who come here to buy and live (take away) is this black plastic bag you see here,” he said while showing this reporter the small black plastic bags.

 

“I don’t know the impact or any health effect that may be caused by these plastic bags as none of my customers come to me complaining about them,” he said.

 

 Another chips dealer at Kimara who preferred anonymity said he was using plastic bags because he cannot afford buying other types of wrappers. 

 

“I don’t know if plastic bags have any negative health impact, I am just using them because my capital is small hence. I cannot afford buying foil paper every day. Once my business grows I will use foil paper to preserve food,” he explained.

 

He said it’s hard for small kiosks to use the best ways of storing food by putting it in the foil paper. That is affordable to big kiosk and restaurant owners.

 

“I never heard that these plastic bags can cause a health problem…., I just found other people using it to preserve food especially chips and I am also using it, he added.

 

Mariam Athuman was among other chips customer standing out of the kiosk in Ilala area waiting for her food.

She was comfortable with the way her hot food was putting in a plastic bag.

She said that it is a normal thing for them buying food preserving in a plastic bags.

 

“I am not aware if by putting hot food in a plastic bags or using it for carring food and can lead to any health problem. What I know is that bags are not good for the environment,” said Mariam.

 

They are using plastic bags as a means of warming rice without knowing that oil and heat make chemical migrate from plastic bag to food.

 

Some citizens blamed authorities for not raising public awareness about the harmful effects of using plastic bags and called on officials to make stores and restaurants use proper materials to store food.

 

Experts say that consumers and merchants use plastic bags a lot because they are inexpensive, but what they do not know is that these bags contain poisonous substances.

 

Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) consultant Radiation Oncologist Dr Dominista Kombe said about 66 per cent of cancer cases depend on lifestyle factor including diet.

 

She said diet can make a big difference in helping to fight off cancer.

Dr Kombe said majority of people have been risking themselves and developing cancer without knowing that by using plastic bags to carry and preserve hot food they generate poison called dioxin.

 

She said the number of people suffering from cancer has been increasing in the country citing that the rise in such cases is attributed largely to people eating food carried in plastic bags.

 

Dr Kombe said the problems of using plastic bags are yet unknown to most of the people due to lack of knowledge and lack of publications on  health risk by researchers and scientists.

 

Everyday, patients affected by polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene and polystyrene because of eating hot foods carried in plastic bags  visit the institute.

 

“Scientists should conduct a research on the matter and advise people accordingly. Tanzanians should know the risk that plastic bags pose to their health,” she said adding that apart from health, the bags also have impact on the environment because they do not decompose easily.

 

“Some foods actually increase your risk of cancer, while others support your body and strengthen your immune system. By making smart food choice, you can protect your health, feel better and boost your ability to fight off cancer and other diseases”.

 

She explained that “not all health problems are avoided but you have more control over your health than you may think”.

Research shows that a large percentage of cancer related deaths are directly linked to lifestyle choices such as smoking, drinking lack of exercise and unhealthy diet.

 

She further explained that most of the cancers can be prevented by not smoking, avoid keeping food in plastic bags, controlling body weight, eating plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

 

Moreover, she advised Tanzanians to cultivate a culture of doing regular health checkups so as to know their health status.

 

For her part, Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA) public relation officer Gaudensia Simwanza said majority of Tanzanians are not aware of the effects of putting hot food in plastic bags.

 

“People misuse those bags, they are not meant for food storage,” she said adding that if a person wants to use the plastic bags to store food they should first pack it in a foil paper before putting the food in plastic bags.

 

Statistics shows that between 80 and 100 people succumb to cancer daily. There are over 200 different known cancer that affect humans.  The life threatening cancerous disease costs the lives of at least 40,000 Tanzanians annually.

 

When hot food is packed in plastics, chemical exchange between plastic and food is maximised by high temperature hence made chemical migrate into food.

The Government has to take steps to control the problem and conduct awareness programmes against the use of plastic bags for food items.SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Oxfam delivers safe water, sanitation facilities to Nyarugusu refugee camp

OXFAM Tanzania working with local partners is set to provide clean and safe water along with sanitation facilities to Burundian refugees both at the border town of Kagunga and those at the Nyarugusu refugee camp,

The development comes in the wake of yesterday’s announcement by the Health and Social Welfare Ministry that there are over 500 confirmed new cases of cholera in camps hosting Burundi refugees in Kigoma Region.

 

Oxfam cites that overcrowding, lack of clean water and sanitation facilities among the Burundian refugees are behind the disease outbreak.

The UN reports that 1,057 cases of acute watery diarrhoea have been recorded at Kagunga, where refugees wait for boat transportation to Lake Tanganyika Stadium and Nyarugusu camp.

 

“Clean water, medical care and proper sanitation are urgently needed,” Oxfam officials said in a press statement released yesterday. 

“Oxfam is working with local partner, TWESA to fix existing tap stands at Kagunga beach, as well as to build additional latrines to reduce the risk of disease spreading among the refugee population,” reads the statement in part.

 

The British charity Oxfam which works to overcome poverty and suffering among impoverished communities, is now working to increase clean water supply and to also build emergency latrines to cope with the huge numbers of refugees.

 

So far, approximately 22,000 refugees have been transported from Kagunga to Nyarugusu camp, where they are being temporarily housed in schools and churches, as aid agencies source supplies needed to build appropriate shelter. 

 

“Medical facilities at the camp have been overwhelmed by the number of sick people,” says the Oxfam statement.

 

As such it urges; “early and rapid response is essential in containing the spread of water-borne diseases such as choleraSOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

High blood pressure affecting younger Tanzanians

There are increasingly younger Tanzanians being diagnosed with high blood pressure because of the unhealthy lifestyles they lead, medical experts have warned.

 

The warning was issued over the weekend on the eve of the World Hypertension day (May 17) by Dr Nasiruddin Jamal, Intervention Cardiologist and Director of the Cardiology Programme at Aga Khan Hospital in Dar es Salaam.

 

Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Guardian, Dr Jamal warned that high blood pressure is the highway to suffering stroke, heart and kidney diseases.

 

He explained that the common risk factors include high salt intake, smoking, sedentary (inactivity) and high calorie diets.

 

“Because of leading unhealthy lifestyles, we are increasingly diagnosing younger Tanzanians with high blood pressure,’ he warned.

 

The Aga Khan Hospital Director of Cardiology Programme also warned that, once the patient develops heart or kidney complications, or suffers stroke, medical treatment after that point becomes considerably expensive, especially for the average Tanzanian.

 

“So we strongly advocate that prevention is better than cure,” he said “...to this effect we encourage regular blood pressure checkups,” he added noting that untreated high blood pressure takes a huge toll on the heart in particular.

 

“When an overtaxed heart is forced to keep up with too much pressure in our arteries, its walls begin to thicken and lose elasticity,” he explained.

“Eventually, the heart muscles fail and fluid retention in the legs and lungs can result in high blood pressure which if unchecked, can also cause stroke,” added the Director of Cardiology.

 

Dr Jamal who also performed the first ever therapeutic cardiac catheterisation in the country last year in August, called on all medical stakeholders to partner with the government to offer free BP checkups at accessible points across the country.

 

“Elsewhere in the world you have free BP check up in supermarkets and other business outlets it allows for early detection before complications are developed,” he said.

 

Sharing her clinical observation, Nimtaz Walji, the Clinical Dietician at Aga Khan Hospital said; “...in my medical experience, I found that in Tanzania we are find patients with high blood pressure as young as in their late 20s and early 30s.” 

 

Other than quitting smoking and adopting a more physically active lifestyle along with watching ones calorie intake, the Clinical Dietician explained that a key lifestyle change is reduction of salt intake.

 

“When you consume a lot of salt, the cells retain more water to dilute the high concentration but when cells retain a lot of fluid they become impaired and do not function properly leading to organ complications,” she cautioned.

 

Reached for comments, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare public relation officer Nsachris Mwamaja admitted that there is need to encourage the public to go for regular medical checkups that is vital for early detection of health complications.

 

“There is need to raise awareness for wananchi to inculcate the culture of going for regular checkups,” he said.

 

“Our people don’t even go for check up when they feel unwell...it is only when they are in pain or can’t move that one goes to the hospital,” he noted.

 

However, asked on the need to set up free check up points specifically for blood pressure he was of the opinion that; “we have health centres...they should use those ones.”

 

It should be noted that limited access to health care is one of the major setbacks in promoting health issues in Tanzania. The challenges cited include few and far apart health centres, poor infrastructure to reach those few centres and even fewer medical staff should one manage to reach these centres.

 

It is in recognition of this limited access to health facilities that Doctor Shiraz Dhanani a Tanzanian Intervention Cardiologist practicing in the capitol of Texas, US who also regularly works at Dar es Salaam’s Aga Khan Hospital suggested the need for free Blood Pressure check up points.

 

“In other countries, one can test their BP level when they go to the mall or to a grocery store to do their daily shopping,” he said.

 

“Now there are automatic portable BP checkup machines that are very affordable and they are accurate and easy to handle,” he added.

Doctor Dhanani, currently in the country emphasised to The Guardian that early detection is the key to stopping stroke, heart and kidney diseases among other ailments and checking ones BP is the first and vital step to this end.

 

As for the matter of the test being done free of charge, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Public relation officer Mwamaja was of the opinion that the cost of BP tests is minimal and affordable to the general public. He however could not offer an average cost amount.

 

Reached for details, Public Relations Officer at the Muhimbili National Hospital Aminieli Elgaisha confirmed that BP is measured every time a patient goes to the hospital as part of regular procedure.

 

However, because the cost of measuring ones BP (if any) is included in the total cost of the patient’s visit, he too could not offer a specific amount charged to measure ones blood pressure.SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Watinga kuchukua maiti wakivalia nguo za magunia

Ilikuwa ni kama kutekeleza maandiko ya Biblia yanayosema “jifungeni nguo za magunia, ombolezeni na kulia kwa uchungu”, wakati ndugu walipokwenda Hospitali ya Rufaa ya KCMC kuchukua mwili wa marehemu.

Walikuwa wamevalia magunia, lakini sababu ya kuvalia nguo hizo haikuwa kama maandiko hayo yanavyosema kuwa “kwa sababu hiyo jifungeni nguo za magunia; ombolezeni na kulia kwa uchungu; kwa maana hasira kali ya Bwana haikugeuka na kutuacha”.

“Tumejiuliza maswali mengi, tumeshindwa kupata majibu. Tumejiuliza tuvae nguo gani hatukupata majibu. Kwa kuvaa hivi tunataka hao wauaji wajue damu hii itawalilia popote walipo,” alisema Beata Kiria, ambaye ni dada wa Victoria Sylvester aliyeuawa na watu wasiojulikana na mwili wake kuzikwa nusu kiwiliwili.

Beata na ndugu zake walifika kwenye hospitali hiyo kwa ajili ya kuuchukua mwili huo wakiwa wamevalia magunia.

Tukio hilo lilitokea jana kati ya saa 4:30 asubuhi na saa 6:00 mchana wakati ndugu hao walipofika chumba cha kuhifadhi maiti cha hospitali, huku baadhi yao wakiwa pekupeku na kusababisha watu wengi waliokuwa eneo hilo pamoja na watumishi wa hospitali kuwashangaa.

Wakiwa ndani ya chumba cha kuhifadhia maiti, ndugu hao walilia wakipaza sauti wakitaka wauaji wa mwanamke huyo wakamatwe kabla ya kuchukua mwili na kuondoka nao.

Victoria (53), mkazi wa Kijiji cha Masherini, Umbwe eneo la Kibosho aliuawa kwa kukatwa mapanga usiku wa kuamkia Ijumaa iliyopita na baadaye wauaji kuuzika mwili wake nusu na kuacha kiwiliwili nje ya nyumba waliyokuwa wakiishi, jambo lililoibua utata mkubwa ndani ya familia hiyo.

Akizungumza na gazeti hili, Kiria alisema walichagua mavazi hayo baada ya kukosa vazi lingine.

“Tulitafakari tuvae nguo gani ili kumuenzi marehemu lakini hatukupata jibu, ndiyo tukaamua tuvae magunia kuonyesha kuwa waliomuua ndugu yetu thamani yao inafanana na magunia haya,” alisema Kiria.

Imezoeleka misiba mingi ndugu huvaa suti nyeusi kwa wanaume huku wanawake wakivalia mavazi meusi au meupe ambayo baadaye hujifunika na vitambaa vyeusi au vyeupe kwa akina mama.

Kiria, ambaye alizungumza kwa niaba ya familia, alilitaka Jeshi la Polisi kuhakikisha linawatafuta na kuwakamata watu waliohusika na mauaji hayo.

Kamanda wa polisi mkoani Kilimanjaro, Fulgence Ngonyani alisema wanamshikilia mume wa marehemu, Silvester Mmasi na mtumishi wao ambaye hakumtaja kwa ajili ya mahojiano kuhusu mauaji hayo na polisi inaendelea kuwatafuta washukiwa wengine.CHANZO: MWANANCHI

Binti apambana na mamba kwa dk. 30, amwokoa mamaye

MTOTO wa kike mwenye umri wa miaka tisa ameonesha ujasiri wa kipekee kwa kumwokoa mama yake mzazi, Magreth Ibrahim (50) kuuawa na mamba baada ya kupambana na mnyama huyo kwa zaidi ya nusu saa.

Mama huyo mkazi wa kijiji cha Karema, mwambao mwa Ziwa Tanganyika wilayani Mpanda, kwa sasa amelazwa katika Hospitali ya wilaya ya Mpanda mjini Mpanda kwa matibabu baada ya mkono wake kunyofolewa na mamba aliyemshambulia wakati akifua kando ya Mto Ikola.

Akimweleza Mkuu wa Wilaya ya Mpanda, Paza Mwamlima aliyemtembelea hospitalini hapo masaibu yaliyomsibu, alisema anamshukuru sana binti yake mwenye umri wa miaka tisa aliyeweza kuokoa maisha yake licha ya kuwa amenyofolewa mkono na mamba huyo.

Akisimulia mkasa huo, Magreth alieleza kuwa juzi akiwa anafua kando ya mto Ikola ghafla mnyama huyo aliibuka majini na kumpiga usoni na mkia wake.

“Mamba huyo aliibuka ghafla mtoni na kunichapa usoni na mkia wake nami nikaangukia majini ndipo aliponidaka mkono wangu na kunivutia mtoni ….binti yangu aliyekuwa jirani yangu alipoona niko karibu kuliwa na mamba kwa ujasiri aliweza kukabiliana naye … Alinishika mkono mwingine na kunivutia nje huku akipiga kelele kumtisha mnyama huyo ili aniachie hatimaye akaunyofoa mkono wangu na kutokomea nao mtoni ….” alieleza.

Aliongeza kuwa watu waliokuwa wakifua mtoni hapo wengi wao wakiwa wanawake walifika eneo la tukio ambapo wakiwa na binti yangu walimvuta na kumtoa nje na baadae wakamkimbiza hospitalini mjini Mpanda kwa matibabu.

Naye Kaimu Mganga Mkuu wa Wilaya ya Mpanda, Dk Joseph Mkemwa amethibitisha kuwa hali ya mama huyo inaendelea kuimarika baada ya kupatiwa matibabu.CHANZO:Habari Leo

Hiki ndicho kinachovutia mbu kumuuma binadamu

Ukitaja  mbu, wazo litakalomjia mtu kwa haraka ni ugonjwa wa malaria. Hiyo inatokana na mazoea yenye ukweli kwamba, mdudu huyo hueneza ugonjwa huo kama ilivyo kwa malale na matende.

Lakini kuna baadhi ya mambo kuhusu tabia ya mbu ambayo watu wengi hawayafahamu, mbali  na sifa yake ya  kueneza magongwa, hasa malaria.

Hebu jiulize; hivi umewahi kukaa na wenzako watano lakini ukajikuta ni wewe peke yako ndiye unayelalamika kwamba unang’atwa na  mbu?

Kama umekutwa na hali hiyo,  basi unaweza kuwa mmoja wa watu walio kivutio kwa mbu.

Kwa kawaida, mvuto hutokana na harufu ya asili inayotoka mwilini mwa mtu anayeshambuliwa zaidi na mbu.

Wanasayansi wanasema kwamba mtu mmoja kati ya watano huwa kivutio cha mbu na kwamba mdudu huyo akinusa harufu ya mtu huyo, hata akiwa na wenzake zaidi wanne, basi atakwenda kwake na kwamba hata akifukuzwa, mbu huyo atarudi na kumuuma tena mtu huyo.

Daktari bingwa wa upasuaji wa Marekani, Joseph Mercola anasema kuwa kuna aina nyingi za mbu, lakini asilimia kubwa ya mbu wenye tabia hiyo ni mbu jike aina ya Anofelesi, ambao pia huambukiza malaria.

Anasema kuwa mbali na tabia hiyo mbu hao huvutiwa na maeneo yenye kemikali kwa kunusa harufu hiyo umbali wa mita 50 kutoka  walipo kabla ya kwenda kwenye eneo hilo. Mbu jike ndiyo huvutiwa zaidi na kupenda kunyonya damu ya binadamu kuliko mbu dume.

Dk Mercola ambaye ameandika majarida mbalimbali ya afya, anasema kuwa mbu jike hupendelea kufanya hivyo kwa sababu madini ya chuma na protini wanayonyonya kwenye damu ya binadamu huwasaidia kutengeneza mayai na baadaye kuzaliana.

Kutokana na hilo, wanasayansi wamebaini kuwa mbu huvutiwa na  bakteria.

Wanasema binadamu ana bakteria trilioni moja kwenye ngozi, lakini kati ya hao, asilimia 10 tu ndiyo hufanana kwa binadamu wote na asilimia nyingine hutofautiana, hali ambayo huchangia baadhi ya watu kuumwa zaidi na mbu kuliko wengine.Kwa habari Zaidi

JK: Pump flood waters from Basihaya homes

President Jakaya Kikwete yesterday ordered Kinondoni Municipal Council officials to remove flood  waters surrounding more than 200 houses at Basihaya area in Tegeta suburb.

He said leaving the water for more than a week was a sign of carelessness.

The Head of State was speaking during his tour to areas affected by floods in the city.

President Kikwete told the council officials that their poor response to pump water from homes was unacceptable and it spoiled the government image in the eyes of the public.

“You must understand that apart from what has happened, life must continue, these people need to continue with their lives. It’s disappointing to see this situation after all these days,” he said.

President Kikwete said, the local council officials must take appropriate measures to bring life back to normal as soon as possible.

The Head of State, who was in the company of Kinondoni District Commissioner Paul Makonda and municipal Mayor Yusuph Mwenda,  stressed that he wanted the water pumped out immediately.

“I am giving the order from this moment that water must be pumped out of these houses, we have engineers here, you know what to do, people must continue with their normal  lives,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Makonda told President Kikwete that a channel for draining water from the area would be constructed. Generally, he said, more than Sh3 billion was needed to improve infrastructure in the area.

But in response, President Kikwete said there was no need to discuss the huge budget while people’s houses were surrounded by water.

He said, some houses must be demolished to allow the construction of a drainage system so that there could be no more problems in future.

“I am not an engineer, but analytically, some houses will be demolished in this area to allow drainage system construction,” he said.See More

Albino Mwingine akatwa mkono Katavi

MWANAMKE mwenye ulemavu wa ngozi (albino), Remi Luchoma (30), mkazi wa kijiji cha Mwamachoma kata ya Mamba wilaya ya Mlele mkoa wa Katavi, amekatwa mkono wake wa kulia na watu wasiojulikana, kisha wakatokomea na kiganja cha mkono huo kusikojulikana.
Kwa sasa, mtu huyo amelazwa katika Hospitali ya wilaya ya Mpanda kwa ajili ya kupatiwa matibabu.

Kaimu Mganga Mkuu wa Hospitali ya Wilaya ya Mpanda, Dk Joseph Mkemwa alithibitisha kumpokea mama huyo na kwamba anapatiwa matibabu na hali yake inaendelea vizuri.
Alieleza kuwa tukio la kukatwa mkono wa albino huyo, lilitokea hapo jana majira ya saa 6 usiku nyumbani kwa wazazi wake katika kijiji hicho.

Alisema baada ya kukatwa kiganja chake cha mkono wa kulia, albino huyo alipelekwa katika Kituo cha Afya cha Mamba, ambapo alipewa rufaa na kukimbizwa katika Hospitali ya wilaya ya Mpanda kwa ajili ya matibabu zaidi.

Alipokewa katika hospitali hiyo ya wilaya saa 10 alfajiri na amelazwa wadi namba mbili .Hali yake inaendelea vizuri.

Kwa upande wake, Masuma Luchuma ambaye ni kaka wa albino huyo, alisema tukio hilo la dada yake kukatwa kiganja cha mkono ni la kinyama na limemsikitisha. Alisema tukio hilo lilitokea kwenye chumba alichokuwa akiishi albino huyo, mwenye watoto wanne.

Kaka huyo alisema siku ya tukio majira ya saa 6 usiku, alisikia watu wakivunja mlango wa chumba alichokuwa amelala Remi na baada ya muda mfupi, alisikia dada yake huyo akipiga mayowe ya kuomba msaada.

Alidai alijaribu kutoka nje ili kumwokoa dada yake huyo, lakini alishindwa kutoka nje kwa kuwa watu hao walifunga mlango wake kwa nje. Alisema hali ya kufungiwa ndani, ilimfanya apige kengele ya jembe, kama ishara ya kuomba msada kwa majirani .

Hali hiyo iliwafanya watu hao, wakimbie na kutokomea kusikojulikana.
Kamanda wa Polisi Mkoa wa Katavi, Dhahri Kidavashari alithibitisha kutokea kwa tukio hilo na kwamba wanaendelea na msako mkali kuwasaka waliohusika na tukio hilo.CHANZO:HABARI LEO

3 killed as heavy rains wreak havoc

At least three people have died here and many others have been displaced in two days of heavy rains that started on Wednesday.

The downpour led to massive damage to infrastructure, particularly the roads.

Accompanied by lightning and strong winds, the rain brought most businesses to a standstill. Many residents could not reach their workplaces.

As many roads were rendered impassable, transport was paralysed and people spent many hours in traffic jams, and police had to step in to manage the crisis.

Hundreds of residents of the city fled their flooded homes and sought shelter elsewhere.

The areas that were hard hit included Tegeta, Kawe, Sinza, Msasani, Masaki, Oysterbay, Kinondoni, Tandale, Mbezi and Kimara.

In Jangwani, Kariakoo, Kigogo, Buguruni, Ilala Sharif Shamba and Tabata Dar es Salaam residents paid the price of clogged drainage systems and roads, for many homes were submerged in raging water, causing untold suffering to everybody.

Regional Commissioner Said Meck Sadick confirmed the death of a two-year-old at Machimbo Makangarawe.

The child was swept away by raging water while an elderly man died on Wednesday night.

The body of the child who drowned hadn’t been yet recovered as we went to press.

“We are continuing with an assessment to establish the actual level of damage,” Mr Sadick said, “but initial reports have confirmed that more than 38 houses in Kigamboni have been totally submerged.”

According to the commissioner, people took shelter in several schools. The rains led to the temporary closure of Jangwani and Fire stretch along Morogoro Road after the floods rose above Jangwani BridgeSee More

Dar assesses rain damage

After three consecutive days of heavy rains that caused flash floods in Dar es Salaam, authorities yesterday started assessing the damage caused by the torrent.

It has been reported that eight people lost their lives.

A statement issued at the end of a one-day meeting that brought together Dar es Salaam region’s senior government officials and defence and security personnel said over 100 houses were submerged, leaving 300 people homeless.

The statement signed by the Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander, Mr Suleiman Kova, said 25 of the “homeless” persons were given temporary shelter at Mchikichini Secondary School and the rest sought refuge to relatives.

The meeting ordered the temporary closure of some feeder roads after most of them were damaged.

Mbagala Kuu was also one of the worst affected areas, where a bridge connecting Mwanamtoti and Sabasaba kwa Mpili was swept away by floods, disrupting transport.

Mbagala Kuu ward executive officer Menaye Kipinga told The Citizen that they had reported the damage caused by the rains to the office of the Dar es Salaam regional commissioner but they had not received any response.

 “Two families have lost their houses with others getting minor damages and some parts of infrastructure damaged. The matters have been reported  to authorities but there has been no response,” said.

A spot check by this newspaper to various primary schools found poor attendance because  some bridges were washed away.

Mr Isaac Mtakimwa, a teacher at Mbagala Kuu Primary School, said almost a quarter of pupils did not go to school because most of them lived across a river which was flooded.

Also half of pupils at Maendeleo Primary School were absent, according to headteacher Odemary Mosha.

“Our school has 3,068 pupils but today we have less than 1,000 pupils, with most of them reporting late,” said Mosha yesterday.See More

Muhimbili goes high tech to repair children’s heart defects

Tanzania yesterday made a giant leap in modern medical technology with the announcement of a high tech device to treat children born with heart defects.

For the first time at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), surgeons will be able to repair the heart defects of children painlessly and with no blood loss.

Special single hand-guided devices costing about Sh1.4 billion will heal the heart defects of about 50 children in a just a week, and free of charge,in a project that aims to reduce the number of patients being referred abroad for the treatment, especially to India.

The ultra-modern surgery is the first of its kind in Tanzania’s public health services and it means that those undergoing the procedure will not have to be admitted in hospital for extended periods as is the case with the traditional surgery.

Doctors in the team told The Citizen that the patients will leave hospital one or two days after surgery.

But the doctors performing the high tech operations at Muhimbili’s new cardiac centre will not be local experts just yet, according to the national hospital’s acting director, Dr Hussein Kidanto. The centre is also grossly understaffed.

“The cardiac centre has all the equipment needed to do whatever heart surgery needed,” said Dr Kidanto. “The big problem is shortage of staff.”

In the meantime, Dr Kidanto told reporters, the management has turned to foreign experts who, over the next four to six months, will come to the country in groups to work with the hospital’s small staff on complicated heart surgery and build local capacity.

The first group of foreign doctors from Saudi Arabia got down to work yesterday. For the next nine days, they will offer treatment for heart conditions in children using the most advanced technology, thanks to a programme organised by the charity organisation Little Hearts in collaboration with the Prince Sultan Cardiac Centre in Riyadh.

There are ongoing efforts to reduce barriers in accessing heart surgery in developing nations including Tanzania. This has attracted several humanitarian projects in the form of two patterns--taking the children abroad or inviting visiting surgical teams. These are not long term solutions to the shortage, though.

Several new paediatric cardiac centres are currently funded by non-governmental organisations in African countries but cardiovascular diseases in developing countries are on the rise because the centres are not permanently based in African countries.

Dr Sulender Kuboja, a paediatric cardiologist in Dar es Salaam, argues that the cardiovascular ailments have been prevalent in our local settings for many years but they are perceived to have increased only because of advances in technology, with new devices being able to diagnose themRead more

Drivers call off strike

Commuter bus drivers have called off their nationwide strike and resumed operations  on condition that the government responds to their demands in writing by this morning.

 

The resolution was reached thanks to liaison efforts of Kinondoni District Commissioner Paul Makonda and the Association of Bus and Lorry Drivers leaders.

 

After hours of discussions, DC Makonda managed to convince the drivers to sign a preliminary resolution document and return to work.

 

Terms of the document hold that, the government is to commit in writing to work on the drivers’ demands by 10am this morning. The document was subsequently sent to Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda   for official response.

 

Makonda pledged to ensure that the drivers will be provided with the official commitment from the government as agreed and should the government fail to provide the written commitment, DC Makonda promised to join the drivers’ strike.

 

Convinced with the DC, the drivers resumed work at around 1pm with upcountry buses departing the Ubungo Bus Terminal and the commuter vans resume their usual routes.

 

Briefing his fellow association members after the reconciliation, the secretary of the association of bus drivers and Lorries, Rashid Salehe said they called off the strike believing that the government will uphold its end of the agreement.

 

According to Salehe, the issues agreed between Makonda acting on behalf of the Prime Minister and the drivers cover among other things employment contracts, monthly salaries and medical insurance.

 

Others are proper channeling of salary payments which the drivers want paid through banks and not on mobile transaction. The drivers also want daily road inspections by traffic officers on commuter buses to cut down to only one day per week.

 

The drivers also demand a reduction of what they described as ‘unnecessary fines’ by traffic officers particularly in the case of in-city commuter vehicles.

 

Truck drivers demanded Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) to improve efficiency at cross border points citing heavy duty trucks heading to neighbouring countries are forced to park for up to twenty days at the border points takes up to twenty days stranded at the border points.

 

“The government is to be blamed for the mess that was caused by the strike,” Salehe said.

 

“It is because they ignored our demands…the reconciliation reached between the association and Makonda will certainly open the public’s eyes that we drivers had good intentions and our demands are genuine,” he stressed.

 

Chairman of the association, Clement Masanja called on drivers countrywide to resume work while waiting for the government’s response.

 

“Let us resume work, our fellow citizens have suffered a lot due to the government’s refusal to work on our demands,” he said.

 

DC Makonda said the drivers’ demands are right and should be listened to. He went on to fault composition of the permanent committee on road transport formed by Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda over the weekend saying it did not include the association members who are the key players in the sector.

 

He also cited the committee’s lack of terms of reference and lack of a specified operation time frame.

 

 “I want you to form a team that will be ready to go with me to the Premier’s office and get a signed letter of agreement to handle your demands,” he urged the drivers.

 

 “You have the right to resume your strike if the government fails to deliver a commitment document addressing your grievances,” he told them.

 

The DC also order for the immediate release of all drivers arrested in connection with the strike.

 

Similar reports have been received from Arusha where several commuter bus operators resumed operations together with their colleagues in Dar es Salaam and elsewhere in the country.

 

Arusha Regional Traffic Officer (RTO), Marison Mwakyoma confirmed that the public service vehicles have resumed operations in the region.

 

The nation was on Monday brought to a near standstill after commuter bus drivers went on strike across the country.

In the course of the day, passengers were forced to seek alternative means of transport including bicycles and pick-up trucks but many were forced to walk in the rain. SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

JK chairs High-Level Panel on health crises in New York.

President Jakaya Kikwete yesterday started to chair the High-Level Panel on the Global Response to Health Crises held at the North Lawn Building at the UN headquarters in New York.

 

 The panel, which was appointed by the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, was tasked to find ways of responding to various health pandemics. It will make recommendations on strengthening national and international systems to prevent and manage future health crises.

 

A statement availed to The Guardian yesterday said President Kikwete, who arrived in New York yesterday, will chair the high- level panel for four days.

 

Other panel members include Celso Luiz Nunes Amorimo, former Minister of Foreign Relations   (1993-1994 and 2003-2010) and Minister of Defense of Brazil, Micheline Calmy-Rey, former President of the Swiss Confederation Marty Natalegawa, former Foreign minister and Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the UN   in New York.

 

Others are Joy Phumaphi, Executive Secretary of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance, Rajiv Shah and Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

 

They were tasked to find out how to respond to various health pandemics and make recommendations to strengthen national and international systems to prevent and manage future health crises, especially from lessons learned during the Ebola outbreak.

 

Ban Ki-Moon appointed the High Level Panel following the Ebola outbreak in West Africa which has been the world’s deadliest.

 

Its spread in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone has called for the necessity to strengthen the management of various health pandemics in future.

 

Before the meeting the panel will hold talks with the SG who had already requested them to give regular reports on the task and submit the final report in December this year.

 

 Ban Ki-Moon will submit the report to the UN Council   at the end of next December and a decision will be made basing on the recommendations.

 

At its first meeting the panel will set out strategies on how to work on the matter and its business plan by consulting the SG. It will be meeting in every six weeks.SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Govt to procure water purification system, stop tooth discolouration.

The government is to purchase more than 20 mobile water purification systems in an effort to reduce concentration of fluoride in Arusha Region water.

 

The chemical compound discolours the teeth, coating enamel brown films. It is also associated with weak bones and bow-legs.

 

Arusha Regional Commissioner, Felix Ntibenda disclosed the plans yesterday when speaking at the launch of a trial Mobile Water Purification System (MWPS)—a de-fluoridation technology developed by US-based firm—International Water Company (IWC).

 

The solar and wind—powered system has been installed at the Ngurdoto De-fluoridation Research Station (NDRS) operated by the Arusha Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (AUWSA).

 

The RC who represented the Minister for Water, Prof Jumanne Maghembe said the MWPS has been proved to be an effective technology to remove fluoride from drinking water and is less expensive than conventional filtration processes.

 

Ntibenda said the new technology will minimize health hazards caused by excess fluoride in water relieving people from the fluoride related effects including teeth discoloration (Dental fluorosis), development of rickets (crippling fluorosis) as well as weakening of bones or skeletal fluorosis.

 

The RC cited most affected regions to include Mwanza, Shinyanga, Simiyu, Singida, Manyara, Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Tanga.

“The technology comes at a prime time when the level of fluoride has increased in parts of the country due to climate change-related impacts,” he explained.

 

He said apart from reducing the amount of fluoride as per World Health Organisation (WHO), the technology also clears water of any bacteria.

 

“This is a very unique technology that allows people to drink water directly from the taps as it kills all the water-related bacteria,” the RC said.

 

He noted affected regions produce water with an average quantity of 20 to 26 milligrammes of fluoride in every litre while the international standards (World Health Organization) allows only 1.5milligramms of fluoride.

 

‘The plant can ably produce nearly 100,000 litres a day and can be placed anywhere,” he detailed.

 

Manufacturers of the MWPS said the system also removes lead, mercury, chromium VI, copper and uranium.

 

William Utz, an official of IWC, said the system disinfects water against bacteria, viruses and protozoa including cholera, E.coli, giardia, legionella, smallpox, typhus and cryptosporium.

 

Wawi MP, Hamad Rashid who took part in initiating the system said IWC has shown interest of building a plant Tanzania from which it will produce water purification systems for the African market.

 

Maji ya Chai Ward Councilor, Loti Nnko hailed the technology, saying it will relieve many people of the negative impacts of fluoride.

Of the reported groundwater-quality problems in Tanzania, fluoride is by far the most severe and widespread and represents a major problem for water supply nationally. 

 

The problem occurs in both the Rift zones in northern and south-western Tanzania, associated with volcanic activity, and in the crystalline basement complex of the central plateau.SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN