The National Human Resource for Health conference was officiated by the Deputy Minister for Health Dr. Florence George Samizi
"The Conference theme underscores the importance of empowering young leaders to drive the future of Africa’s health systems amid emerging health challenges, climate change, population growth, and technological change. It highlights the need for skilled health workers, strong institutions, and visionary leadership to build resilient and sustainable healthcare systems across the continent."
"Over the past twenty years, the Benjamin William Mkapa Foundation has remained one of the Government’s most trusted strategic partners in advancing human resources for health. Working closely with the Government and development partners, the Foundation has supported more than 19,000 health workers, including 11,000 Community Health Workers, strengthened the Mkapa Fellows Program, provided scholarships for health professionals, improved health infrastructure and service quality, and contributed to policy development and institutional capacity building. These achievements demonstrate the power of partnerships in advancing the goal of Universal Health Coverage (UHC)."
Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Benjamin W. Mkapa Foundation, thanked Hon. Dr. Emmanuel Nchimbi for representing H.E. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan at the commemoration of the late H.E. Benjamin William Mkapa and the Foundation’s 20th Anniversary celebrations. She also recognized the continued leadership of H.E. Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi and expressed gratitude to partners and stakeholders for their longstanding support of the Foundation’s mission.
"First and foremost, we recognize the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, under the leadership of H.E. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, for the significant progress made in the health sector. We acknowledge key achievements, including the establishment of the AIDS Trust Fund and the implementation of the Universal Health Insurance (UHI) Act, which are strengthening sustainable health financing, expanding access to quality healthcare services, and advancing the country’s journey toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC)” she said.
Speaking on the Foundation’s achievements over the past two decades, the Chief Executive Officer of the Benjamin Mkapa Foundation, Dr. Ellen Mkondya Senkoro, noted
“We stand testimony that the late President Benjamin William Mkapa through his Benjamin William Mkapa Foundation (BMF) has been the bridge between despair and dignity. Through the work of this Foundation"
1. 33 million people across Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar have been reached and touched by the work of the Foundation, equivalent to a half of the population of Tanzania;
2. 450 billion Tanzanian shillings have been mobilized from just 400 million Tanzania shillings which we mobilized in funding in our first year;
3. 8,000 plus Mkapa Fellows and 11,000 Community Health Workers deployed to fill the gap of human resource for health, and supported government provision of health services, to the most in need, at the last mile.
4. 1,200 training scholarships and 520 healthcare structures built or rehabilitated including 480 homes for our dedicated health workers in rural outposts. Because we know that to care for the patient, we must first care for the healer.
