The spread and effects of HIV/Aids have been largely contained in the country as the government works hard to meet the target of making it a controlled pandemic by 2030, the government has said.
Speaking during the closing of the 9th day of Tanzania Health Summit at Julius Nyerere International Conference Centre in Dar es Salaam recently, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the President's Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), Dr Charles Msonde, said the government had made great strides in the fight against HIV/Aids, thanks to the great dedication of health workers.
"The government has invested heavily in improving health services like building hospitals and health centres, purchasing medical equipment and recruiting trained medical experts. I urge you experts to intensify the fight against HIV/Aids and other pandemics hindering economic development," he said.
Dr Msonde explained that the government hailed health workers' untiring efforts to save lives by attending to persons living with HIV/Aids and those suffering from other disease outbreaks like Covid-19, non-communicable diseases and TB.
For his part, Dr Reginald Gervas, an HIV physician from HJFMRI Tanzania, which is an international medical research organisation, said voluntary testing and use of antiretroviral drugs had helped greatly to reduce the adverse effects of HIV/Aids.
"Going for voluntary testing and taking antiretroviral drugs from nearby health centres have helped a lot to control the virus in blood circulation. This has been so especially in southern regions of Tanzania where we work," he said.
Dr Gervas pointed out that another milestone was prevention from mother to child transmission by administering doses to parents living with HIV/Aids. He explained that HJFMRI Tanzania had also reached out to special groups like drug users, persons living with disability and those from disadvantaged backgrounds with testing and prescribing antiretroviral drug medication to those tested HIV positive.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 has a target to end the HIV/Aids pandemic by 2030. SDG 3 states: "Ensure health lives and promote well-being for all at all ages".
