MARA region tops the list of reported prevalence of domestic violence by 72 per cent as Tanga region records few cases by 16 per cent per year, a study on Gender Based Violence (GBV) by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW) has revealed.

Director of Gender and Child Health in the MoHSW, Dr Grace Mallya, said in Dar es Salaam that the reported overall prevalence of domestic violence in the country among women aged 15-49 was 45 per cent.

"The study which was conducted in 2010 indicates that Dar es Salaam region was above the national average of Gender Based Violence with 46 per cent per year," said Dr Mallya during a meeting to promote the National Management Guidelines for the Health Sector Prevention and Response to Gender Based Violence.

She said the government plans to introduce One Stop Centres to every municipal hospital to facilitate health services to the victims of GBV, saying three officials, including a police officer, a lawyer and a health official would be providing the victims with services.

The Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Mr Said Meck Sadiki, said the National Management Guidelines for the Health Sector Prevention and Response to Gender would help victims of GBV while seeking for medical treatment.

"The regional and district officials have a responsibility to ensure that the Gender Based Violence victims receive medical treatment in accordance to the guidelines," said Mr Sadiki, who was the guest of honour at the conference which was organized by Management and Development for Health (MDH).

Mr Guerino Chalamila, the Chief Executive Officer of MDH, said the meeting was part of his organization's initiatives to sensitize different health stakeholders to control the GBV, saying MDH has provided about 500 medical staff from municipal hospitals with training to control GBV. "MDH would provide the health committees with equipments to facilitate medical treatment for the GBV victims," he said.