Authors : Martha J. Nhembo, Domitila A.R. Bashemera and Innocent J.E. Zilihona
Abstract: The study was carried out to investigate the contribution of health sector reform on morbidity and mortality in Bahi Rural District and Morogoro Municipality. Specific objectives of the study were to assess the extent to which health sector reform had an effect on morbidity and to examine the effect of health sector reform on infant and maternal mortality. Data collections included 256 households and 64 health services providers using structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using qualitative methods, such as; frequencies, cross-tabulation and means. Major results in both Bahi Rural District and Morogoro Municipal indicate that morbidity decreased with time. Sources of safe and clean water had been improved. Most of the households had pit-latrines. Together with maternal and infant mortality has been reduced. In conclusion, assessment made on morbidity as related to health sector reform indicates that the number of patients in both Bahi Rural District and Morogoro Municipality have tended to decrease with time and would probably mean that reform had a positive change on health service delivery. Assessments on maternal and infant mortality rates have shown that there had been a tendency of reduction in both Bahi Rural District and Morogoro Municipal. Construction of new health facilities in close proximity to the community and provision of drugs and equipment, especially in the rural areas is also recommended as it will help in improving accessibility to quality health services. In doing so, it will also reduce mortality and the number of patients served per medical officer in some of the health facilities.
Martha J. Nhembo, Domitila A.R. Bashemera and Innocent J.E. Zilihona, 2013. Tanzania Health Sector Reform with Reference to Morbidity and Mortality: Something to Celebrate in Dodoma and Morogoro Regions?. The Social Sciences, 8: 64-71.