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Tanzania

Tanzania Immunization

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Vaccines are one of the most cost-effective and lasting health investments, playing a vital role in reducing child mortality. While Tanzania has high coverage in routine immunizations, discrepancies exist in terms of geographic location, socioeconomic status, and level of education. Faced with lack of electricity and inadequate roads in many regions, transporting supplies under continuous cold storage to Tanzania’s mostly rural population is a persistent challenge. Sector-wide obstacles, including a lack of trained health staff and sufficient financing, limit the country’s ability to supervise, monitor, and fund efforts.

The United States is one of the largest donors to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), committing more than $1.2 billion over the last 12 years to expand access to vaccines in the world’s poorest countries. Since 2000, approximately $400 million has supported Tanzania’s routine immunization system and enabled the nationwide introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) and rotavirus vaccine to combat two of the leading causes of death in children under five: pneumonia and diarrhea.

Recognizing the need for additional support in simultaneously launching, and monitoring the impact of two new vaccines, in 2011, USAID provided technical assistance to the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MOHCDGEC) through the Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP).

In collaboration with partners such as UNICEF and the World Health Organization, MCHIP assisted in strengthening the Tanzania Immunization and Vaccine Development Program’s capacity to oversee the timely and comprehensive introduction of the pneumococcal (PCV) and rotavirus vaccines nationally.

USAID also supported the introduction of the measles second dose vaccine and measles-rubella (MR) combination vaccine in 2015 through work in advocacy, community mobilization, logistics management, and training health workers and managers