Tackling obstacles to health care delivery at district level
Ahmed, A.M.; Mung'ong'o, E.; Massawe, E.
World Health Forum 12(4): 483-489
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0251-2432 PMID: 1821122 Document Number: 342626
In 1980, Tanzania instituted a programme to make health care accessible to its 10 million people. Today at least 70% of the population live within five km of a health centre or village health post. Although coverage is high, the quality of care is, however, variable. A process was thus adopted in the Dodoma Region for identifying problems of health care delivery which might be solved at district level by means of existing resources. The study was conducted in both urban and rural districts to determine the problems specific to each and the information was used by the district health management teams to devise solutions. It was found that, although it was possible to tackle many of the demotivating factors at district level, the principal problems, namely inadequate fringe benefits, housing and transport, would need national intervention. Nevertheless, much could still be done using existing district resources.