THE Tanzania Health Promotion Support (THPS) has provided assorted items worth 19m/- to support victims of floods in Rufiji and Kibiti districts, Coast Region.

The donations handed over in Kibaha District at the weekend included school bags, uniforms and stationeries for pupils worth 7.8m/- as well as food items namely 1500 kilos of maize flour, 750 kilos of beans and 29 cartons of cooking oil worth 10.9m/-.

Prof Mohamed Janabi, THPS Board Chairman, presented the items to Coast Regional Commissioner Abubakar Kunenge and said that the items were expected to provide relief to flood victims in Rufiji and Kibiti districts as they strive to resume their economic activities.

“As one of the major health partners working in Coast Region, THPS stands with the affected communities during these difficult times of natural disasters," he said.

"As THPS, we join the government's health interventions implementation to ensure that we provide inclusive health services on aspects such as HIV and Aids, gender based violence and tuberculosis.”

RC Kunenge expressed his gratitude to THPS for its kind gesture and hoped for continued collaboration.

"These items will help bring hope to those affected by floods as they cope with big loss they have faced," he said.

Dr Redempta Mbatia, THPS executive director, said as a stakeholder in the health sector, they were saddened by what the floods had caused, hence the donation. 

"It is no doubt that the floods have caused deaths and property destruction. As a stakeholder in the sector, we recognise challenges and we pledge to support the government in providing the needed health services," she said

 THPS collaborates with the government through the Ministries of Health in both Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar, the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women, and Special Groups, the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children in Zanzibar, the President's Office (Regional Administration and Local Government) and the Ministry of Home affairs to guarantee accessible and high quality health services. THPS strives to achieve this through strengthening of health and community services.

At present, THPS focuses on addressing various public health challenges, including HIV and Aids, tuberculosis, gender based violence, violence against children, reproductive, maternal and neonatal, child and adolescent health services, laboratory and health management information system and Public health evaluation.