Our Core Values
In 2019, Tanzania embarked on a transformative journey to revolutionise its healthcare system through the implementation of a comprehensive digital health strategy (2019 to 2024). The strategy aimed to leverage digital technologies and data-driven solutions to ensure better health outcomes through a digitally enabled health system. As the implementation of the strategy nears its end, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with different stakeholders, wishes to use the convergence workshop (CW) to discuss the priorities, their implementation progress, challenges and barriers encountered to provide recommendations for fast-tracking the implementation, identify new opportunities, and priorities and investment for the next five years.
The Strategy stipulates five strategic goals and ten strategic objectives, as presented below. The CW will be used to critically review the stipulated goals and strategic objectives to determine progress made, opportunities and potentials of harnessing emerging digital technologies in addressing health system challenges and facilitating health service delivery in Tanzania. Thus, the CW has been thoughtfully scheduled to span five days, providing ample time for stakeholders to collaboratively devise an implementation and investment plan to address the identified gaps and the prioritised digital health initiatives in the health system. Therefore, the CW holds significant importance for us as the Ministry of Health (MOH) as it presents a remarkable opportunity to redefine our position and that of our stakeholders in pursuing improved healthcare services through digital innovation.
Strategic Goals
Strengthened digital health governance and leadership
Improved client experience through efficient provision of high-quality health services
Empowered healthcare providers and managers to take evidence-based actions
Sustained availability of health resources
Standardised information exchange
Strategic Objectives
Strengthen digital health governance and leadership to facilitate better coordination and implementation of digital health initiatives
Improve efficiency, accessibility (including the use of telehealth), patient safety, quality and continuity of care through patient safety, and quality and continuity of care through the digitalisation of health service delivery in a holistic manner.
Improve health workforce competency and use of technology to provide specialised care to underserved facilities.
Promote healthy behaviour through access to relevant health information, education, and communication
Enhance seamless and secure information exchange.
Improve data use for evidence-based actions at all levels of the health system.
Improve supply chain management of health commodities at all levels of the health system.
Improve management of human resources at all levels of the health system.
Improve management of financial resources.
Strengthen disease prevention, surveillance, detection, reporting, response, and control at all levels of the health system.
Workshop Objectives
Goals
- Enhance understanding and implementation of the National Digital Health
- Develop strategies for strengthening the capacity of health informaticians in
- Promote collaboration in the digital health transformation in
Objectives
- To review progress on the implementation of the Tanzania digital health strategy 2019-2024 and the digital health investment roadmap and PHC digital transformation
- To review and update the inventory of current and planned digital health interventions using the Tanzania Digital Health
- To sensitise partners and stakeholders on the importance of digital health governance, architecture, program management, and
- Promote dialogue among health informaticians, government representatives, industry leaders, and
- To discuss the roles of health informaticians in contributing to the implementation of National Digital Health Strategies
- Identify key competencies and skills needed in the health informatics workforce to strengthen the health
- To develop an action plan on how the Tanzania Health Informatics Association (TAHIA), in collaboration with partners, can contribute to enhancing the capacity and role of health informatics in strengthening the health
Expected Outputs:
The following are the expected outputs from the five days convergence workshop::
- Agree upon priority areas and an approach for addressing identified Digital Health Strategy implementation gaps
- MOH implementation plan, which clearly articulates the priorities and timelines
- An investment plan with preliminary commitments from partners and stakeholders to support the
Workshop Programme from 31st July – 2nd August 2023
Day One: 31st July 2023
| Time | Activity | Responsible |
|---|---|---|
| 07:30 - 08:00 | Participants Arrival & Registration | TAHIA Secretariat |
| 08:00 - 08:30 | Government Officials' and Guest of Honour Arrivals | TAHIA Secretariat |
| 09:00 - 09:05 | Opening Prayer | TAHIA Secretariat |
| 09:05 - 09:10 | Introduction | TAHIA Secretary General |
| 09:10 - 09:15 | Remarks from TAHIA | TAHIA President |
| 09:15 - 09:20 | Remarks from HELINA | HELINA President |
| 09:20 - 09:25 | Remarks from PORALG | DICT PORALG |
| 09:25 - 09:30 | Remarks from DICT MOH | DICT MOH |
| 09:30 - 10:00 | Opening Speech by the Guest Honour | Director of Policy and Planning, MOH |
| 10:00 - 10:10 | Vote of Thanks, Group Photo | TAHIA Secretary General |
| 10:10 - 10:40 | Health Break | All |
| 10.40 - 10.50 | Objectives and Overview of the Convergence Workshop | Dr. Felix Sukums (MUHAS), Edwin Nyella (TAHIA Treasurer) |
| 10:50 - 11:10 | Presentation: Tanzania Digital Health Strategy 2019-2024: Priorities, Achievements and Challenges |
Walter Ndesanjo (MOH) |
| 11:10 - 11:30 | Presentation: Tanzania Health Enterprise Architecture Blueprint |
Oswald Luoga (PATH) |
| 11:30 - 11:50 | Presentation: Primary Health Care Digital Transformation in Tanzania: Priorities, Achievements and Challenges |
Baltazar Melchiory (PORALG) |
| 11:50 – 12.00 | Discussion, Q&A | ALL |
| 12:00 – 12:30 | Presentation: Implementation of interoperability and standards-driven digital health architecture: Case of FHIR/SMART Guidelines |
Mr. Steven Wanyee (HELINA) |
| 12:30 - 12:50 | Presentation: Digital solutions for health supply chain in Tanzania |
Leopold Shayo (MSD), Alfred Mchau (GHSC-TA) |
| 12:50 - 13:10 | Presentation: Digitalisation of disease surveillance and response in Tanzania |
Fidelis Longino (MOH) |
| 13:10 - 13:30 | Presentation: Digital solutions for the health workforce in Tanzania |
MOH/UDSM (Dr. Leonard Peter/ Esther Msechu) |
| 13:30 - 13:50 | Presentation: Implementation of Community and Client feedback systems for improved health client experiences |
John Matiko (UNICEF), Zainabu Sengeri (MoH), Mark Tanda (PORALG) |
| 13:50 - 14:10 | Presentation: Implementation of digital solutions for improved health financing and financial management |
James Mtatifikolo (DICT) |
| 14:10 - 14:30 | Discussion, Q&A | ALL |
| 14:30 - 15:30 | Lunch Break | ALL |
| 15:30 - 16:30 | Group Work Group 1: Health Service Delivery 1 – Facility-based healthcare services Group 2: Health Service Delivery 2 - Community-based health services Group 3: Health Supply Chain Group 4: Health Information sharing and use Group 5: Leadership and Governance |
Group Leaders, Moderators |
| 16:30 - 16:50 | Group Presentations | Group Leaders, Moderators |
| 16:50 - 17:00 | Closing Remarks, Day One | TAHIA President |
Day Two: 1st August 2023
| Time | Activity | Responsible |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 - 08:30 | Participants Arrival & Registration | ALL |
| 08:30 - 09:00 | Day One Recap | Rapporteur |
| 09:00 - 09:20 | Presentation: Data use in the health sector in Tanzania |
Tumainiel Macha, MOH |
| 09:20 - 09:40 | Presentation: Role of Artificial Intelligence in Strengthening the Health System in Tanzania |
Dr. Deogratias Mzurikwao, MUHAS |
| 09:40 - 09:50 | Discussion, Q&A | ALL |
| 09:50 - 10:20 | Heath Break | ALL |
| 10:20 - 12:20 | Group Work continues | ALL |
| 12:20 - 13:20 | Group Presentations | Group Leaders, Moderators |
| 13:20 - 14:20 | Discussion, Q&A | ALL |
| 14:20 - 15:20 | Lunch Break | ALL |
| 15:20 - 16:40 |
Plenary Session: Develop a tentative Implementation plan, articulating priority areas and timelines, investment plan, identify partnership opportunities |
ALL |
| 16:40 - 16:50 | Closing Remarks, Day Two | TAHIA President |
Day Two: Implementation and Investment Plan
At the end of day two of the CW, the MOH aim to achieve the following:
- Agree on the priority areas and an approach for addressing identified Digital Health Strategy implementation
- MOH to present the implementation plan, clearly articulating the priorities and
- Present the investment plan, and get some commitments from
- Develop a tentative Implementation plan, articulating priority areas and timelines, investment plan, and identifying partnership
DAY THREE: 2nd August 2023: TAHIA Launching and Digital Health Convergence Workshop
| Time | Activity | Responsible |
|---|---|---|
| 07:30 - 08:00 | Participants Arrival & Registration | TAHIA Secretariat |
| 08:00 - 08:30 | Government officials' Arrival | MC, Secretariat |
| 08:30 - 09:00 | Guest of Honour Arrival | MC, Secretariat |
| 09:00 - 09:05 | Opening Prayer | MC |
| 09:05 - 09:10 | Introduction | MC, TAHIA Secretary General |
| 09:10 - 09:15 | Remarks from TAHIA | TAHIA President |
| 09:15 - 09:20 | Remarks from HELINA | HELINA President |
| 09:20 - 09:50 | Remarks from GIZ Remarks from USAID Remarks from HJFMRI Remarks from UCSAF Remarks from UNICEF Remarks from WHO Remarks from MUHAS Remarks from PORALG Remarks from EAC Remarks from MOH Zanzibar |
GIZ Representative USAID Representative HJFMRI Representative UCSAF Representative UNICEF Representative WHO Representative MUHAS Representative PORALG Representative EAC Representative MOHZ Representative |
| 09:50 - 09:55 | Remarks from Regional Commissioner, Dar es Salaam | RC, Dar es Salaam |
| 9:55 - 10:15 | Opening Speech | Guest Honour |
| 10:15 - 10:30 | TAHIA Launching Ceremony & Certificate Award | MC, TAHIA Secretary General |
| 09:50 - 09:55 | Remarks from Regional Commissioner, Dar es Salaam | RC, Dar es Salaam |
| 09:55 - 10:15 | Opening Speech | Guest Honour |
| 10:15 - 10:30 | TAHIA Launching Ceremony & Certificate Award | MC, TAHIA Secretary General |
| 10:30 - 10:35 | Vote of Thanks | TAHIA Deputy Secretary |
| 10:35 - 10:40 | Group Photo | MC |
| 10:40 - 11:10 | Health Break | All |
| 11:10 - 11:30 | Presentation: Role of health informatics associations in promoting capacity building, research and networking in the digital age |
Steve Wanyee, HELINA President-Elect |
| 11:30 - 11:50 | Presentation: Role of Health Informatics Workforce in Strengthening the Health System in Tanzania |
Zabron Abel, TAHIA Member |
| 11:50 - 12:00 | Presentation: Overview of Tanzania Health Informatics Association (TAHIA) |
Edwin Nyella, TAHIA Treasurer |
| 12:00 - 12:10 | Discussion | ALL |
| 12:10 - 12:30 | Presentation: Research, Innovation, and Development in Digital Health |
Prof. Bruno Sunguya, MUHAS |
| 12:30 - 12:50 | Presentation: Digital health leadership and governance |
Makunda Kassongo, USAID |
| 12:50 - 13:10 | Presentation: Summary of the DH Converge Workshop report: Updates on the digital health strategy implementation, including achievements, priorities gaps, and opportunities |
Erick Kitali, TAHIA Erick Msofe, GIZ |
| 13:10 - 13.30 | Discussion, Q&A | ALL |
| 13.30 - 14.00 | Closing Remarks | DPs/IPs Representative TAHIA President DICT, PORALG |
| 14:00 - 15:00 | Lunch Break, Networking | ALL |
| 15:00 - 16:00 | CW core team debrief and plan for the next steps. | MOH, PORALG, TAHIA organising committee & HELINA |
Group 1: Service Delivery 1 – Facility based curative services
- Improve efficiency, accessibility (including the use of telehealth), patient safety, quality and continuity
of care through patient safety, and quality and continuity of care through the digitalisation of health
service delivery in a holistic manner
Group 2: Service Delivery 2 – Community-based /promotive services
- Strengthen disease prevention, surveillance, detection, reporting, response, and control at all levels of the health
- Promote healthy behaviour through access to relevant health information, education, and
- Telemedicine: use of technology to provide specialised care to underserved
Group 3: Supply Chain
- Improve supply chain management of health commodities at all levels of the health system.
- Improve management of financial
Group 4: Information sharing and use
- Enhance seamless and secure information
- Improve data use for evidence-based actions at all levels of the health system.
Group 5: Leadership and Governance
- Strengthen digital health governance and leadership to facilitate better coordination and implementation of digital health
- Improve management of human resources at all levels of the health system, including Improving health workforce
