MAGAZETI YA LEO JUMAPILI

STAKEHOLDERS URGE THE GOVERNMENT TO IMPROVE QUALITY HEALTH DELIVERY

KILOLO: Chairman of the Idete Village, Bimas Mkemwa in Idete Ward said that education and research offered by organizations of Mazombe Mahenge Development Association (MMADEA) and Iringa Civil Society Organization (ICISO) in district Kilolo, Iringa has largely increased knowledge to citizens about access to health care.

He made statement at the meeting to provide feedback on the research conducted by the organization of CISO held in Kilolo district yesterday.

Mkemwa has asked the government to build a health center in order to improve the health of mother and child in the village and Idete ward in general.

He said that the people of the Idete Village, Kilolo district in Iringa have urged the government in collaboration with various stakeholders to build a health center in order to eliminate the burden of walking long distances to seek maternal health care.

He said that the poor infrastructure of the Idete road especially in this period of rains causes many women to give birth on the way, while unable to afford the cost of hire an ambulance from the Christian mission clinic.

He said that citizens have been hiring the vehicle between 250,000 / -and three hundred thousand (300,000 / -) from Idete to Iringa town for fulfillment health care, especially mothers when they go to give birth.

Mkemwa said that bad infrastructure has led to some bent on marriage and teenage pregnancy as mothers and daughter are forced to sleep in the passenger bus.

He added that citizens are sleeping on buses due to lack of money for guesthouse and lead mothers and daughters raped due to sleep on the bus.

He pleaded with the government to improve the road infrastructure to simplicity in terms of transport and communication and also building a health center in order to improve the health of mother and child in their area.

However, the Kilolo district council has promised to use survey conducted by the NGO in Iringa (ICISO Umbrella) to address the various challenges that hinder the provision of quality services for maternal and child health.

Kilolo district Community Development Officer, Philemon Naminga said many challenges as identified through the survey were information gap caused lack of good governance.

"The flow of information to society from the bottom up to the level of the district council is not good, there is a gap of how to report between citizens and leaders and the leaders themselves sometimes," he said.

ICISO Executive Secretary, Raphael Mtitu said the survey conducted for six months (October 2016 to March 2017) in 40 villages of the wards of Ibumu, Image, Idete, Irole, Ilula, Nyalumbu, Ruaha Mbuyuni, Uhambingeto and Nyanzwa.

He said that the study was funded by The Foundation for Civil Society was aimed at empowering civil society and citizens to evaluate and measure the use of public funds in local government on the quality and services offered, particularly on maternal health and child.

Mtitu said the results of the study show the same 319 people and 65 percent of all respondents have reported the presence of health care maternal and child in their area and 172 people said no such services in their areas.

"That is because of the absence of centers providing services in their villages or citizens and some of the villages to be away from centers providing health care," he said.

Referring distance access, Mtitu said research shows are available for a distance of between one and four kilometer and more than five kilometers, while the infrastructure to get at some of these centers as poor.

He said the study also shows that people spend an average of one hour to two hours to get those services in centers providing services although some spend more than four hours.

"There needs to be enough providers and enough medical supplies to the public gain access so that that they turning away to go to traditional healers or try to cure themselves," he said.

He mentioned other challenges the survey disclosed included drug shortages, some people have no knowledge of good parenting, lack of vehicles carrying patients and the problem of communication especially for pregnant women and children who need care quickly.

However, stakeholders of the health sector donated their comments after reports of the study presented, and asked the government to improve service with their priorities to clinical care, transportation for pregnant women, medical supplies, and services of midwives before and after childbirth.

END

WADAU WA SEKTA YA AFYA WAIOMBA SERIKALI IBORESHE HUDUMA ZA AFYA

Baadhi ya washiriki wakifuatilia mkutano wa matokeo ya utafiti uliofanywa na Mwamvuli wa Mashirika Yasio ya Kiserikali Mkoani Iringa (ICISO Umbrella) uliofanyika wilayani Kilolo, mkoani Iringa juzi. (Picha na Friday Simbaya)

Na Friday Simbaya, Kilolo

Mwenyekiti wa Kijiji cha Idete, Bimas Mkemwa katika Kata ya Idete amesema kuwa elimu na utafiti iliyotolewa na mashirika yasio kuwa ya kiserikali ya Mazombe Mahenge Development Association (MMADEA) na Iringa Civil Society Organization (ICISO) wilayani Kilolo, mkoani Iringa vimewafungua kwa kiasi kikubwa wananchi kuhusu upatikanaji wa huduma za afya. 

Mkemwa aliyasema hayo katika mkutano wa kutoa mrejesho wa utafiti uliofanywa na shirika la CISO uliofanyika wilayani Kilolo juzi.

Kiongozi huyo wa kijiji aliiomba serikali kuwajengea kituo cha afya ili kuboresha afya ya mama na mtoto katika Kijiji cha Idete na kata ya Idete kwa ujumla.

Alisema kuwa wananchi wa Kijiji cha Idete na kata Idete, wilayani Kilolo mkoani Iringa wameitaka serikali kwa kusaidiana na wadau mbalimbali kuwajengea kituo cha afya ili waweze kuondokana na adha ya wajawazito kutembea umbali mrefu kufuata huduma za afya.

Alisema kuwa ubovu wa miundombinu ya barabara ya Idete hasa katika kipindi hiki cha mvua kunasababisha kina mama wengi kujifungulia njiani, huku wakishindwa kumudu gharama ya kukodi gari la wagonjwa (ambulance) kutoka zahanati ya misheni ya Madege.

Alisema kuwa wananchi wamekuwa wakikodi gari hilo kati ya shilingi laki mbili na nusu (250,000/-) na laki tatu (300,000/-) kutoka Idete hadi Iringa mjini kwa ajili ya kufuata huduma ya afya hususani kina mama wanapoenda kujifungua.

Mwenyekiti wa kijiji cha idete Bimas Mkemwa alisema miundombinu mibaya imepelekea hata kuvunjika kwa baadhi ya ndoa pamoja na mimba za utotoni kwa vile wakina mama na wasichana wanalazimika kulala kwenye mabasi ili kuwahi kwenda mjini.

“Barabara hii ni barabara ya mkoa inayoishia katika kijiji cha Idete lakini basi likitoka mjini linaishia Kidabaga ambapo wanalazimika kukodi bodaboda kwa shilingi 18,000/- hadi kidabaga kupanda basi kesho yake. Gaharama hiyo ya usafiri ni kubwa ukilinganisha na nauli ya basi yenyewe kutoka Idete hadi mjini Iringa ni elfu nne…,” alisema Mkemwa.

Aliongeza kuwa wananchi wanalazimika kulala kwenye mabasi kutokana na kutokuwa na hela ya kulala gesti na kupelekea kina mama na mabinti kufanyiwa vitendo visivyofaa wanapolala kwenye mabasi.

Aliiomba serikali kuboresha miundombinu ya barabara ili kurahisisha usafiri pamoja na kuwajengea kituo cha afya ili kuboresha afya ya mama na mtoto katika maeneo yao.

Hata hivyo, halmashauri ya wilaya ya Kilolo imeahidi kuutumia utafiti uliofanywa na Mwamvuli wa Mashirika Yasio ya Kiserikali Mkoani Iringa (ICISO Umbrella) kushughulikia changamoto mbalimbali zinazokwamisha utoaji wa huduma bora ya afya ya uzazi na mtoto.

Afisa Maendeleo ya Jamii wa halmashauri ya wilaya hiyo, Phillemon Naminga alisema changamoto nyingi zilizobainishwa kupitia taarifa ya utafiti huo zinasababishwa na pengo la mawasiliano na elimu ya utawala bora.

“Mtiririko wa kupeana taarifa kutoka chini hadi ngazi ya halmashauri ya wilaya sio mzuri, kuna pengo la namna ya kupena taarifa kati ya wananchi na viongozi na wakati mwingine viongozi wenyewe,” alisema.

Naminga alisema watautumia utafuti huo kutoa elimu ya utawala bora katika ngazi zote za halmashauri, ili taarifa za changamoto zinazohusu upatikanaji wa huduma hizo na nyingine zifikishwe na kufanyiwa kazi kwa kuzingatia taratibu.

Katibu Mtendaji wa ICISO, Raphael Mtitu alisema utafiti huo uliofanywa kwa miezi sita (Oktoba 2016 hadi Machi 2017) katika vijiji 40 vya kata ya Ibumu, Image, Idete, Irole, Ilula, Nyalumbu, Ruaha Mbuyuni, Uhambingeto na Nyanzwa. 

Alisema kuwa utafiti huo uliofadhiliwa na The Foundation for Civil Society ulilenga kuziwezesha asasi za kiraia na wananchi kutathimini na kupima matumizi ya fedha za umma katika serikali za mitaa juu ya ubora na uridhishwaji wa huduma zitolewazo, hususani kwenye afya ya uzazi na mtoto.

Mtitu alisema matokeo ya utafiti huo yanaonesha watu 319 sawa na asilimia 65 ya wahojiwa wote wameeleza uwepo wa huduma ya afya ya uzazi na mtoto katika maeneo yao na watu 172 walisema hakuna huduma hizo katika maeneo yao.

“Hiyo ni kwasababu ya kutokuwepo kwa vituo vya kutolea huduma katika vijiji vyao au wananchi na baadhi ya vijiji kuwa mbali na vituo vya kutolea huduma za afya,” alisema.

Akizungumzia umbali wa upatikanaji wa huduma, Mtitu alisema utafiti unaonesha zinapatikana kwa umbali wa kati ya kilimota moja na nne na zaidi ya kilomita tano huku miundombinu ya kufika katika baadhi ya vituo hivyo ikiwa mibovu.

Alisema utafiti huo unaonesha pia kwamba wananchi wanatumia wastani wa saa moja hadi saa mbili kupata huduma hizo katika vituo vya kutolea huduma ingawa kuna baadhi wanatumia zaidi ya saa nne.

“Kuna haja ya kuwa na watoa huduma wa kutosha na vifaa tiba vya kutosha ili wananchi waweze kupata huduma kwa muda mfupi na kuwaepusha kwenda kwa waganga wa kienyeji au kujaribu kujitibu wao wenyewe,” alisema.

Alizitaja changamoto zingine zilizobainika kupitia utafiti huo kuwa ni pamoja na upungufu wa dawa, baadhi ya wananchi kutokuwa na elimu ya uzazi bora, ukosefu wa magari ya kubeba wagonjwa na tatizo la mawasiliano hasa kwa wajawazito na watoto wanaohitaji huduma za haraka.

Wakitoa maoni yao baada ya taarifa ya utafiti huo kuwasilishwa, wadau wa sekta hiyo waliiomba serikali iboreshe huduma hiyo huku vipaumbele vyao vikiwa ni huduma ya kliniki, usafiri kwa wajawazito, vifaa tiba, na huduma ya wakunga kabla na baada ya kujifungua.

MWISHO

EAYIP PROGRAM TO CREATE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO YOUTH IN EAST AFRICA

IRINGA: In response to high youth populations and the growing demand for dairy in both Tanzania and Uganda, Heifer International is implementing the East Africa Youth Inclusion Program (EAYIP), a five-year program aimed at improving the livelihoods of 25,000 youth ages 15-24 economically disadvantaged young people in Tanzania and Uganda. 

According to the Acting Program Manager Damas Damian, EAYIP will create employment and enterprise development opportunities to youth in the dairy sector and other agricultural value chains. 

He said yesterday that the East Africa Youth Inclusion Program (EAYIP) will build upon the success of Heifer’s East Africa Dairy Development (EADD) project, which has improved dairy production and market access for more than 1 million farmers since its inception in 2008. 

The launching of the EAYIP program was graced by Iringa Regional Commissioner, Amina Masenza yesterday which is benefits more than 3,000 youth in Iringa region in agricultural activities. 

The program has earmarked to be implemented in four regions of the southern highland zone including Songwe, Mbeya, Njombe and Iringa of which will benefit more than 14,000 youth in Tanzania. 

Damian said one of the objectives of EAYIP is to equip youth with the necessary skills to create small businesses around dairy hubs or find employment in hub-related agribusinesses. 

Adding that the EAYIP will also provide access to finance for young entrepreneurs to start or expand established businesses and dramatically increase youth participation in agribusiness. 

On her part, Iringa Regional Commissioner, Amina Masenza said young people should not see careers in agriculture as for poor, old people, unprofitable and laborious. 

She said youth should change not only the view, but the reality as well by demonstrating that farming can provide an exceptionally dignified and modern way of life. 

Masenza used the opportunity to urge her leaders in the region to make use of the EAYIP program and encourage more youth in the region to participate fully. 

She said that the program is meant for youth and let the youth benefit from the program, hence demonstrate that farming can provide an exceptionally dignified and modern way of life.. 

The program is groundbreaking for Heifer International, as it is the organization’s first program to specifically target youth in agriculture at scale. 

The US$18 million investment from The MasterCard Foundation will be supplemented by additional funds from Heifer, including a US$1 million revolving loan fund for young women and men who successfully complete the full training and are ready to start or expand a business.