3rd Mkapa Legacy Summit: Taking Local Sustainability to New Horizons

The Settlor of the Benjamin Mkapa Foundation, H.E. Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, congratulated Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan on her initiative to create more professionals in various fields, through the Samia Scholarship fund.

"We observe and are impressed by the efforts you have made to increase student enrollment in health-related fields, to create and expand job opportunities for health professionals, to establish the Samia Scholarship Fund, and to build specialized Secondary Science Schools for Girls in every region. Due to your efforts, we have great hope that in the coming few years, the challenge of workforce shortages in the health sector will be significantly addressed. For us at the Benjamin Mkapa Foundation, this is a permanent agenda" said H.E. Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi.

In her speech, Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan highlighted the legacy left by the Late Benjamin William Mkapa, which not only resonates with the Mkapa Foundation but the nation as a whole.

“We are gathered here today not merely because it is the Mkapa commemorative day. We are meeting today because the late President Benjamin William Mkapa has given us an additional reason to meet. Under normal circumstances, this commemoration might have ended up being a family affair or perhaps just a church memorial service. But we are meeting today in such large numbers, and with such significance, because the late President Benjamin William Mkapa has left us with a continuing legacy, well-managed by the Benjamin Mkapa Foundation. We are meeting today to conclude a discussion that began two days ago, on an issue that our beloved late Mzee Mkapa cherished and closely supported, the Human Resources for Health agenda” said H.E. Dr. Samia.

H.E. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania

She went on to congratulate the governing body of the Mkapa Foundation led by the Settlor H.E. Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi and the Board of Trustees, under the daily administration of the Management team. Her speech touched on the structural changes done by the Late Benjamin Mkapa, the strides his government made towards the fight against HIV/AIDS, and the various infrastructural developments made within the health sector in Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar. She went on to applaud the efforts made by the Mkapa Foundation in the area of Human Resources for Health, highlighting the need for more investment in the area, to improve healthcare services

“In the health sector, the issue of Human Resources for Health is one of the challenging aspects. It is challenging because it does not yield immediate results, lacks visible evidence, and does not have significant popularity. It is easier to invest in the construction of health infrastructure, medical equipment, and medicines than to invest in building Human Resources for Health”, she added. “We commend and recognize the efforts of the Benjamin Mkapa Foundation through its Mkapa Fellows program, which has enabled approximately 7,322 health professionals to secure interim employment while awaiting official positions. Of these interim hires, 37% have later been employed by the government in permanent roles. I would like to assure the Mkapa Foundation and other stakeholders that as the government continues to provide jobs, these contractual health professionals (Mkapa fellows) will continue to be considered for government positions. I direct the Office of the President of Public Service to take this into account when issuing employment permits for health staff for the 2024/2025 fiscal year, for those who meet the qualifications”, H.E. Dr. Samia continued.

H.E. Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, Settlor of the Benjamin Mkapa Foundation.

Furthermore, Dr. Mwinyi acknowledged and appreciated the work done by the outgoing Board of Trustees of the Mkapa Foundation, under the leadership of Dr. Adeline Kimambo as the Board Chair.

"I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to the Board of Trustees of the Mkapa Foundation, whose term of office will end on August 30, 2024. I congratulate the Chairperson of the Board, Dr. Adeline Kimambo, and all seven members of the Board for the excellent work they have done over the past five years in collaboration with the Management, especially during the very challenging transition period following the passing of the Founder and Trustee of the Foundation, the late President Benjamin William Mkapa." H.E. Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, Settlor of the Benjamin Mkapa Foundation.

In cementing what she had said, Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan referred to the HRH Conference resolutions that were presented to her by Honorable Minister of Health, Ummy Mwalimu. She ended her speech by issuing five (5) multi-sectoral directives to various ministries.

“The Office of the Prime Minister should strengthen the Human Resources for Health Multisectoral Coordination Team, which includes the Office of the Prime Minister as Chair, the Ministry of Health as the Secretariat, the President’s Office TAMISEMI, the President’s Office Public Service and Good Governance, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance, and representatives from the private sector.

The Ministry of Health should ensure the completion of a national study to assess the actual status of healthcare workers in the labor market (Labor Market Analysis). This information will greatly assist in developing a robust strategy that reflects the realities of the market. While we already have a comprehensive HRH country profile providing an overview of the health workforce at health facilities/hospitals and health training institutions, it does not adequately capture the health workforce outside these facilities, those existing in the labor market.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation should develop a Health Diplomacy strategy and instruct our embassies abroad to assist in securing opportunities for advanced specialization and super-specialization training for health professionals. This will increase the number of specialized healthcare professionals we are developing domestically. This should be coordinated with our in-country universities and national and zonal hospitals.

The Ministry of Health should innovate and focus on attracting Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) within government hospitals. The era when the government did everything on its own has passed. Private sector investment will enhance efficiency and employment in the health sector. For example, if an investor introduces a new service in a government hospital or adds a service that was previously unavailable, they will employ health professionals whom the government could not hire.

While we work to provide government employment as the budget allows, we must also create opportunities for Tanzanians to be employed abroad. We should consider sending health professionals overseas. We need to strengthen our universities to provide training that prepares these health professionals for the international job market. Neighboring countries have a shortage of health professionals, and we should explore foreign job markets where we can enter.”

The National Human Resource for Health conference was officiated by the Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon. Kassim Majaliwa Majaliwa

The conference was attended by Ministers from mainland and Zanzibar, Permanent Secretaries, Leaders from the public, private sector and CSOs, healthcare professionals including Mkapa Fellows and Community Health Workers, and the media

July 31, 2024, witnessed a high-level event as the climax of the summit, bringing in current and former high-level government and private sector leaders, CSOs, academicians, healthcare workers and providers, and the media fraternity. Deliberations from the first 2 days of the HRH conference were presented by the Minister of Health, Hon. Ummy Mwalimu.

Read the conference recommendations here

The Mkapa Foundation Chair of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Adeline Kimambo, informed the guests of the launch of Mkapa Foundation’s Strategic Business Plan 2024-2030, which took place during the HRH Conference on July 30, 2024.

"On July 30, 2024, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa launched the BMF Institution's fourth Strategic Plan, which aims to enhance health and community welfare in Tanzania and beyond, while promoting innovations in Human Resources for Health and service delivery programs, increasing health insurance coverage, and strengthening national and international health security. This six-year plan budgeted at 211 billion shillings, will run from July 2024 until June 2030 and seeks to improve the institutions' systems and service delivery through collaboration with various stakeholders”, she said.

Cementing on the conference resolutions, the Mkapa Foundation CEO, Dr. Ellen Mkondya Senkoro spoke on the various measures undertaken by BMF and other valued partners.

“For the past 18 years, Mkapa Foundation in collaboration with various development partners, has managed to create approximately 13,000 jobs in the health sector, which includes about 7,000 healthcare workers known as Mkapa Fellows and 6,000 community health workers” reported Dr. Ellen Mkondya-Senkoro.

Dr. Ellen also mentioned the different sustainability initiatives employed by the Mkapa Foundation, in efforts to start the journey towards self-reliance. She expounded on the Imara Horizon Company, a business arm of BMF, as well as the BMF Endowment Fund, which was formally launched in July 2021 by H.E. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania.

A short video about the Endowment Fund

The Mkapa Legacy Summit 2024 concluded with an award ceremony that featured three different categories: Scientific Innovation in Health, Leadership in Health, and Community Health Worker Award.

Read more on each speech presented at the 2nd Human Resources for Health and the Mkapa Legacy Summit, here.

3rd Mkapa Legacy Summit: Taking Local Sustainability to New Horizons

The Settlor of the Benjamin Mkapa Foundation, H.E. Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, congratulated Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan on her initiative to create more professionals in various fields, through the Samia Scholarship fund.

In her speech, Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan highlighted the legacy left by the Late Benjamin William Mkapa, which not only resonates with the Mkapa Foundation but the nation as a whole.

Furthermore, Dr. Mwinyi acknowledged and appreciated the work done by the outgoing Board of Trustees of the Mkapa Foundation, under the leadership of Dr. Adeline Kimambo as the Board Chair.

The National Human Resource for Health conference was officiated by the Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon. Kassim Majaliwa Majaliwa

The Mkapa Foundation Chair of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Adeline Kimambo, informed the guests of the launch of Mkapa Foundation’s Strategic Business Plan 2024-2030, which took place during the HRH Conference on July 30, 2024.

Cementing on the conference resolutions, the Mkapa Foundation CEO, Dr. Ellen Mkondya Senkoro spoke on the various measures undertaken by BMF and other valued partners.

A short video about the Endowment Fund

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