Evaluating health worker training capacity throughout Tanzania
With our track record of training health workers at Bugando, the Tanzanian government has turned to us as a key partner to address the needs of the entire country.
In May 2007, the government of Tanzania introduced the Twiga Initiative to Strengthen HRH Production Capacity. Under President Kikwete’s Primary Health Services Programme, the five-year Twiga Initiative aims to evaluate and improve the production of human resources for health in Tanzania. Twiga recognizes bottlenecks in HRH training that parallel the findings of the 2006 McKinsey & Company study conducted for Touch, including limited infrastructural capacity in training facilities, poor utilization and retention of teaching staff, and limited public-private sector partnerships.
Through Twiga, the government plans to overhaul HRH training throughout the country. With effective execution, the initiative will eventually promote access to health services for Tanzanians by increasing the availability of trained and skilled HRH, improving HRH retention and motivation, and enhancing the quality of health service delivery.
The health minister, Professor David Mwakyusa, personally asked us to accept a pivotal role in this initiative. Additionally, the non-profit committee of McKinsey’s New York office has agreed to provide a small consulting team on a completely pro bono basis to assist with this critical project for Tanzania. Touch staff will work together with McKinsey consultants to conduct this study, beginning with a diagnostic phase to assess infrastructure, systems, personnel and policy in HRH training facilities across Tanzania. The team aims to complete the diagnostic phase by early 2008.
The government’s request reflects their confidence in our history and our partnership with them to enhance health worker training programs at Bugando University College of Health Sciences. We are honored to work with the Tanzanian government on this collaborative undertaking.