The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) – Tanzania Country Director Mark Breda through the Implementing partner HJFMRI last Thursday supported the Tanzania Peoples Defense Forces (TPDF) and launched the Health Information System (HIS) data centre at Lugalo Military College of Medical and Allied Sciences. The data centre will provide real-time data across all the 21 health facilities supported within the TPDF.

The launched TPDF Health Information System (HIS) data centre which is also integrated with the Ministry of Health DHIS2 has been supported with funding from PEPFAR through the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) to strengthen the provision of HIV services by having a one-stop data overview for a more efficient and effective program planning, management, monitoring, and integrating results attained from data into decision-making in improving the health system and sustain HIV epidemic control in Tanzania.

Speaking during the event, the WRAIR Country Director in Tanzania Mark Breda said the launch of the HIS within the TPDF Health facilities is a great milestone as it will add value to the country’s initiative especially in the realization of the UNAIDS 95-95-95 goals and the HIV treatment cascade, including diagnosis, enrollment, ART initiation, and adherence to treatment as we move toward epidemic control.

Also the Director of Medical Services with the Tanzania People’s Defense Forces (TPDF) Brig. Gen. Charles Mwanziva appreciated the WRAIR support and said that the investment will help to strengthen the provision of quality healthcare services across the supported 21 TPDF health facilities and since it is linked with the Ministry of Health DHIS2, it will also help the ministry to access real-time data to enable the country plan and respond accordingly to HIV challenges.

He added that with the available real-time data across 21 TPDF health facilities, healthcare providers will be able to respond timely to patient needs by providing solutions to any challenges such as the need for viral load tests and evaluation of patient treatments, which will add value for the program to deliver effectively.

The collaborative idea of having the centralized data center to collect and analyze data within the TPDF health facilities was seen as an opportunity for the TPDF to strengthen the provision of HIV services and respond to the country’s priorities, especially on ensuring healthcare professionals intervene timely in any challenges observed through available data.

HJFMRI with funding from WRAIR has successfully invested more than TZS 900,000,000/= through the procurement of data center equipment, Installation of fiber optic network connectivity to 21 TPDF facilities through TTCL, designing of the TPDF-HIS and to conduct capacity building to TPDF team commissioned to the University of Dar es salaam, Server and power backup upgrading and facilitation of all consultative meetings with other stakeholders.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Tanzania.

Parliament is committed to working with the Church to promote and protect biblical values, the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, has assured Christians. 

“As Parliament, we pledge our unwavering support towards making laws that are good for humanity, respect for family and gives value to biblical teachings,” she said as she graced the ordination of new priests for Soroti Catholic Diocese on Saturday 13 July 2024.

Among, who advised the new priests to be good shepherds, witnessed the ordination of six deacons into priesthood and one seminarian into deaconate in the event presided over by the Bishop of Soroti Catholic Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Eciru Oliach at Regina Caeli Cathedral site in Aminit, Soroti. 

The Vice President, Jessica Alupo, and several Members of Parliament, attended the event.

“We thank you (priests) for accepting to serve God because it is a noble calling. Do it with utmost dedication,” Among said.

In his sermon, Bishop Eciru encouraged the newly ordained priests and deacon to be frontliners of the church, saying priesthood is a daunting task that requires total dedication and sacrifice.

“Priesthood is not for jokers, it is a daunting task and therefore, it is business and not picnic. You are ordained for the glory of the Lord and salvation of souls… At all costs, save souls. If you do this, you will live in peace and die as a saint,” Bishop Eciru said.

He also urged Christians to remain resolute and pray at all times. 

“Members of Team Jesus must be resolute. For this to happen, prayer is indispensable. A catholic without prayer is the same as a soldier without arms. So, as we pray for you, you should also pray for us. Work as you pray, and also pray as you work,” he said.

President Yoweri Museveni in his message delivered by Alupo congratulated the new priests, saying their ordination is a testimony of their devotion to God and the Catholic Church.

He urged the church to preach the gospel of wealth creation so that communities embrace government programmes like Emyooga and Parish Development Model to create wealth and alleviate them from poverty.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

The Council today adopted an assistance measure worth €5 million under the European Peace Facility to provide the Beninese Armed Forces (Forces Armées Béninoises) with military equipment to meet their operational requirements and pre-deployment training needs.

This decision comes on top of two other new assistance measures, worth €25 million and €5 million, adopted on 21 May and 13 June respectively. The three assistance measures aim to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Benin and its civilian population. They also aim to strengthen the capabilities of the country’s navy in support of its commitment to maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, in the framework of the Yaoundé Architecture.

Today’s adoption brings the EU’s overall support to Benin to €35 million in 2024 under the European Peace Facility, representing 27% of Benin’s defence budget.

Through this assistance, the Beninese Armed Forces will be equipped with a multipurpose military aircraft, and  their medical capacities and land medical evacuation capabilities will be strengthened. The EU support will also initiate the creation of a national military academy for the training of pilots and aircraft mechanics, through the training of instructors, and provide an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance radar and command and control capacities, as well as training ammunition and small arms for operational purposes.

The support under the European Peace Facility is part of a broader package that combines various tools, including development assistance aimed at preventing and combatting violent extremism, which represents an increasing threat to stability in Northern Benin. This package complements the recently launched EU Security and Defence Initiative for the Gulf of Guinea, contributing to peace and stability in the region.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Council of the European Union.

On July 15, 2024, the U.S. Embassy in Namibia participated in a handover ceremony with the Namibian Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) at the Walvis Bay State Hospital.  In attendance was Mr. Ben Nangombe, Executive Director of the Ministry of Health and Social Services as well as many other senior government and esteemed local leaders. During the ceremony Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Tiffany Miller formally handed over a state-of-the-art mobile Intensive Care Unit, or ICU on behalf of the U.S. government.

The ICU is valued at 20 million Namibian dollars and was funded through the United States Department of Defense’s Overseas Humanitarian Disaster and Civic Aid Program, known as OHDACA.

The 5-bed ICU is designed to provide MoHSS with the ability to not only serve the local population of Walvis Bay, but also deploy the ICU to other locations in response to a possible medical crisis. The system has self-sufficient, dual generator power, water and sewage systems and air conditioning allowing it to operate autonomously in the field.  It is also stocked with 600,000 Namibian Dollars of medicine to ensure the ICU is ready for operations.

A team of Namibian personnel to include doctors and nurses from MoHSS were trained in all aspects of the system set up as well as the individual pieces of medical equipment within the ICU.

In her remarks, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Miller stated, “By partnering with Namibia to enhance critical baseline medical infrastructure, we enhance the nation’s health security. We also enable Namibia to respond to potential future pandemics as well as health emergencies and natural disasters, which positively affects the region as a whole.”

The donation in Walvis Bay is part of a larger medical infrastructure donation package valued at over 130 million Namibian dollars that will be spread across four regions in Namibia. This is the largest OHDACA donation to Namibia since its independence and signifies the commitment of the American people to help ensure every Namibian has access to medical care.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Namibia.