Morogoro — THE government has pledged to replicate successful Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) systems developed under the WASH Systems for Health (WS4H) Programme nationwide, saying the initiative has established a strong foundation for sustainable and climate resilient service delivery.
The Director Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ministry of Water, Diana Kimario said at the closing ceremony of the WS4H Programme in Morogoro yesterday that the programme has demonstrated that lasting improvements in WASH services depend not only on infrastructure development but also on strengthening the institutions, systems and partnerships that support service delivery.
Ms Kimario, who represented the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mwajuma Waziri said the government remains committed to integrating the programme's lessons into national planning as Tanzania implements Vision 2050, the Water Sector Development Programme and the Health Sector Strategic Plan.
She noted that climate change has made resilient and inclusive WASH systems more important than ever in protecting communities, healthcare facilities and livelihoods.
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Ms Kimario commended SNV Netherlands Development Organisation and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) for supporting the programme since 2024, noting that it had strengthened rural water services through institutional capacity building, professionalisation, improved data systems and evidence-based planning.
The programme also strengthened district-wide sanitation planning and mainstreamed climate resilience, gender equality and social inclusion into WASH investments. In addition, it enhanced sector monitoring systems to improve performance, accountability and evidence-based decisionmaking.
"The lessons generated through strengthened governance, improved financing mechanisms and enhanced institutional capacity provide practical models that can and should be replicated across Tanzania," she said.
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Ms Kimario urged government institutions, development partners, local government authorities, the private sector, civil society organisations and communities to sustain the programme's gains by integrating its approaches into planning, budgeting and implementation.
SNV Water Sector Lead, Mr Olivier Germain, said although the WS4H programme is coming to an end, the knowledge, partnerships and improvements achieved through its implementation will continue to support Tanzania's efforts to ensure universal access to safe, reliable and sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services.
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"The programme may be ending, but the knowledge, partnerships and progress made through WS4H will continue to strengthen Tanzania's journey towards sustainable WASH services for all," he said during the programme's closing event in Morogoro.
The two-day event brought together more than 80 delegates from government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations, local government authorities, healthcare institutions and the media to reflect on the programme's achievements, share lessons learned and discuss how successful interventions can be scaled up across the country.
Implemented by SNV Netherlands Development Organisation with support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the programme has been operating in Dodoma, Arusha and Simiyu regions, helping to improve access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services while strengthening planning, coordination and climate-resilient WASH systems.
Working in partnership with the Ministry of Water, the Ministry of Health, the President's Office-Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG) and the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA), the programme has improved access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services while strengthening planning, coordination, climate resilience and the capacity of sector actors to deliver inclusive and sustainable WASH services.
