United Republic of Tanzania

The Constitution provides a set of basic rights and duties under part III. This part does not include a right to health per se. However, there is specific mention in the Constitution that the provisions included in this Part of the Constitution do not prohibit the enactment of any law for the purpose of ensuring, among other, public health (section 30.2.b).

Responsibilities over health matters are shared at the national level and the local level. While the Constitution does not specifically refer to competencies over health matters, it does refer to the role of local authorities. Specifically, sections 145 and 146 of the Constitution provide that local government authorities are to be established in each region, district, urban area and village with the right and power to participate and to involve the people in the planning and implementation of development programmes within their respective areas and generally throughout the country.

No current national health policy was located in the country. The latest policy available is from 2003.

The main goal of the Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP V) 2021-2026 is to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) by ensuring that all Tanzanians have access to quality health services without suffering financial hardship (pages ii, 24).

The HSSP V identifies several strategic priorities, including improving reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH), controlling communicable and non-communicable diseases, enhancing health system performance, and ensuring equitable access to health services (pages 28-42).

The document references several laws and regulations that guide the health sector. These include the Public Health Act, the Public Health Sewage and Drainage Act, the Accident and Occupational Diseases (Notification) Act, the Tsetse Fly (Control) Act, the Medical, Dental and Allied Health Professionals Act, the Nursing and Midwifery Act, the Chemist Professionals Act (page 6); the Optometry Act, the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act the Medical Radiology and Imaging Professionals Act, the Environment Health Practitioners (Registration) Act, the Health Laboratory Practitioners Act, the Pharmacy Act, the National Health Insurance Fund Act, the Community Health Fund Act, the Industrial Consumer Chemicals (Management and Control) Act, the Tobacco Products (Regulations) Act, the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Act (page 7), the Government Chemist Laboratory Authority Act, National Institute for Medical Research Act, the Muhimbili National Hospital Act, the Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute Act, the Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre Act, the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (Establishment Instrument), Benjamin Mkapa Hospital (Establishment), the Tanzania Commission of AIDS Act, the Medical Store Department Act, the Ocean Road Cancer Institute Act (page 8). These laws provide the legal framework for public health, professional practice, health financing, and social protection.

Throughout the document, specific actions are outlined to ensure compliance with existing laws and regulations. For example, the plan includes actions to strengthen the management of environmental hygiene laws (page 29). The Strategic Plan also includes an action to create a Blood Safety Act to protect the rights and safety of blood donors, health care providers and blood recipients (page 44). It also aims to enhance the governance of health professionals by tasking the Ministry of Health to emend the legislation to align or integrate the various governing and health professional bodies (page 45).