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Background Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer among women in Tanzania, with approximately 10,000 new cases and 7,000 deaths annually. In April 2018, the Government of Tanzania introduced 2 doses of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine nationally to adolescent girls to prevent cervical cancer, following a successful 2-year pilot introduction of the vaccine in the Kilimanjaro Region. Methods We interviewed key informants at the national level in Tanzania from February to November 2019, using a semi-structured tool to better understand national decision-making and program implementation. We conducted a comprehensive desk review of HPV vaccine introduction materials and reviewed administrative coverage data. Results Ten key informants were interviewed from the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly, and Children, the World Health Organization, and other partners, and HPV vaccine planning documents and administrative coverage data were reviewed during the desk review. Tanzania introduced HPV vaccine to a single-age cohort of 14-year-old girls, with the decision-making process involving the Tanzania Immunization Technical Advisory Group and the national Interagency Coordination Committee. HPV vaccine was integrated into the routine immunization delivery strategy, available at health facilities and through outreach services at community sites, community mobile sites (>10 km from the health facility), and primary and secondary schools. Pre-introduction activities included trainings and microplanning workshops for health workers and school personnel at the national, regional, council, and health facility levels. Over 6,000 health workers and 22,000 school personnel were trained nationwide. Stakeholder and primary health care committee meetings were also conducted at the national level and in each of the regions as part of the advocacy and communication strategy. Administrative coverage of the first dose of HPV vaccine at the end of 2019 was 78%, and second dose coverage was 49%. No adverse events following HPV vaccination were reported to the national level. Discussion Tanzania successfully introduced HPV vaccine nationally targeting 14-year-old girls, using routine delivery strategies. Continued monitoring of vaccination coverage will be important to ensure full 2-dose vaccination of eligible girls. Tanzania can consider periodic intensified vaccination and targeted social mobilization efforts, as needed.

Background In April 2018, Tanzania introduced the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine nationally to 14-year-old girls, utilizing routine delivery strategies (i.e. vaccinating girls at health facilities and community outreach, including schools). We sought to assess awareness, feasibility, and acceptability of the HPV vaccination program among health workers and community-level stakeholders. Methods We conducted cross-sectional in-person surveys among health workers, school personnel, community leaders, and council leaders in 18 council areas across six regions of Tanzania in October–November 2019. Regions were purposively selected to provide demographic, geographic, and vaccination coverage variability; sub-regional levels used random or stratified random sampling. Surveys included questions on HPV vaccine training and knowledge, delivery strategy, target population, and vaccine and program acceptability. Descriptive analysis was completed for all variables stratified by respondent groups. Results Across the 18 councils, there were 461 respondents, including health workers (165), school personnel (135), community leaders (143), and council leaders (18). Over half of each respondent group (50–78%) attended a training or orientation on HPV vaccine. Almost 75% of the health workers and school personnel respondent groups, and less than half (45%) of community leaders correctly identified the target age group for HPV vaccine. Most (80%) of the health workers indicated HPV vaccination was available at health facilities and schools; most (79%) indicated that the majority of girls receive HPV vaccine in school. Approximately half (52%) of all respondents reported hearing misinformation about HPV vaccine, but 97% of all respondents indicated that HPV vaccine was either “very accepted” or “somewhat accepted” in their community. Conclusion The HPV vaccination program in Tanzania was well accepted by community stakeholders in 18 councils; adequate knowledge of HPV vaccine and the HPV vaccination program was demonstrated by health workers and school personnel. However, continued technical support for integration of HPV vaccination as a routine immunization activity and reinforcement of basic knowledge about HPV vaccine in specific community groups is needed. The Tanzania experience provides an example of how this vaccine can be integrated into routine immunization delivery strategies and can be a useful resource for countries planning to introduce HPV vaccine as well as informing global partners on how to best support to countries in operationalizing their HPV vaccine introduction plans.

Globally, measles remains a major cause of child mortality, and rubella is the leading cause of birth defects among all infectious diseases. In 2012, the World Health Assembly endorsed the Global Vaccine Action Plan that set a target to eliminate Measles-Rubella (MR) in five of the six World Health Organization (WHO) regions by 2020. This was cross-sectional study employed both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The sample size was calculated to provide overall, age- and sex-specific coverage estimates for MR vaccine among children aged between 9 and 59 months at the national level. Using desired precision of ±5% with an expected coverage of 95%, a total of 15,235 households were required. The age of children, a child who had received the MR vaccine before the campaign, household wealth quintile, the age of caregivers, and their marital status were associated with non-coverage of MR vaccination among children aged 9-59 months in Tanzania. Nationally, an estimated 88.2% (95% CI: 87.3-89%) of children aged 9-59 months received the MR campaign dose, as assessed by caregivers' recall. These estimates revealed slightly higher coverage in Zanzibar 89.6% (95% CI: 84.7-93%) compared to Mainland Tanzania 88.1% (95% CI 87.2-88.9%). These associated factors revealed causes of unvaccinated children and may be some of the reasons for Tanzania's failure to meet the MR campaign target of 95 percent vaccination coverage. Thus, vaccine development must increase programmatic oversight in order to improve immunization activities and communication strategies in Tanzanian areas with low MR coverage.

Objective This study aims to provide a better understanding of the amounts spent on different malaria prevention products and the determinants of these expenditures. Methods 1,601 households were interviewed about their expenditure on malaria mosquito nets in the past five years, net re-treatments in the past six months and other expenditures prevention in the past two weeks. Simple random sampling was used to select villages and streets while convenience sampling was used to select households. Expenditure was compared across bed nets, aerosols, coils, indoor spraying, using smoke, drinking herbs and cleaning outside environment. Findings 68% of households owned at least one bed net and 27% had treated their nets in the past six months. 29% were unable to afford a net. Every fortnight, households spent an average of US $0.18 on nets and their treatment, constituting about 47% of total prevention expenditure. Sprays, repellents and coils made up 50% of total fortnightly expenditure (US$0.21). Factors positively related to expenditure were household wealth, years of education of household head, household head being married and rainy season. Poor quality roads and living in a rural area had a negative impact on expenditure. Conclusion Expenditure on bed nets and on alternative malaria prevention products was comparable. Poor households living in rural areas spend significantly less on all forms of malaria prevention compared to their richer counterparts. Breaking the cycle between malaria and poverty is one of the biggest challenges facing malaria control programmes in Africa.

Summary Objectives Acknowledging that mothers are often the primary caregivers at the household level, malaria control efforts have emphasized educating women in its early recognition. This fails to consider the context in which knowledge will be transformed into action, as women lack decision-making responsibility and financial resources. We examine the knowledge and power dynamics of provider–patient interactions and the implications for malaria treatment of educating mothers during consultations. Methods We conducted in-depth interviews in Tanga, Tanzania, with 79 household participants over 2 years to explore knowledge and perceptions of febrile illness, its treatment and prevention. We also interviewed 55 clinicians at government and private healthcare facilities about their patients’ knowledge and treatment-seeking behaviour. We analysed our data using a grounded theory approach. Results Informants had good knowledge of malaria aetiology, symptoms and treatment. Healthcare workers reported that mothers were able to give them sufficient information about their child for accurate diagnosis. However, health staff continued to see mothers who present ‘late’ as uneducated, intellectually incapable and lazy. Whilst evidence shows that decisions about treatment do not rest with mothers, but with male family members, it is women who continue to be blamed and targeted by health education. Conclusions Aggressive didactic teaching methods used by health staff may be disempowering those already equipped with knowledge, yet unable to control treatment decisions within the household. This may lead to further delays in presentation at a healthcare facility. We propose a rethinking of health education that is context-sensitive, acknowledges class and gendered power relations, and targets men as well as women. Objectifs Reconnaissant que les meres sont le plus souvent les procureuses de soins dans la famille, les efforts de controle de la malaria ont mis l'accent sur l’education des femmes pour la detection rapide de la maladie. Une telle approche ne prend pas en compte l'idee du contexte dans lequel la connaissance sera convertie en action car les femmes ne possedent pas le pouvoir de la prise de decision et des ressources financieres. Nous avons examine la connaissance et les dynamismes du pouvoir des interactions entre patients et soignantes et les implications de l’education des meres au cours des consultations sur le traitement de la malaria. Methodes Nous avons mene des interviews detaillees a Tanga en Tanzanie avec 79 familles participantes sur une duree de 2 ans afin d'explorer la connaissance et les perceptions sur les maladies febriles, leur traitement et leur prevention. Nous avons egalement interviewe 55 cliniciens dans les services de sante gouvernementaux et prives sur la connaissance de leurs patientes et sur les comportements de recours au traitement. Les donnees ont ete analysees sur base d'approches theoriques fondees. Resultats Les educateurs avaient une bonne connaissance de l’etiologie, des symptomes et du traitement de la malaria. Les agents de la sante rapportaient que les meres etaient en mesure de leur procurer suffisamment d'information sur leurs enfants pour permettre un diagnostic precis. Cependant, les agents de la sante continuaient de voir des meres se presentant tard parce que non eduquees, intellectuellement limitees et paresseuses. Alors que l’evidence demontre que les prises de decisions au sujet du traitement n'appartiennent pas aux meres mais aux hommes de la famille, ce sont cependant les femmes qui continuent d’etre blâmees et ciblees pour l’education sur la sante. Conclusions Les methodes didactiques agressives d’education utilisees par le personnel de sante peuvent etre nefastes sur les patientes possedant deja des connaissances mais qui sont encore incapables de controler les decisions sur le traitement au sein de la famille. Cela peut conduire a un retard supplementaire dans le recours aux services de sante. Nous proposons une revision de l’education sur la sante qui fasse attention au contexte, qui reconnaisse les pouvoirs generes par les relations entre les sexes et les categories de personnes et qui cible aussi bien les hommes que les femmes. Objetivos Reconociendo que las madres son normalmente las principales cuidadoras a nivel del hogar, los esfuerzos para controlar la malaria han puesto un enfasis en la educacion de las mujeres buscando un reconocimiento temprano de la enfermedad. Este enfoque falla al no considerar el contexto dentro del cual el conocimiento se transforma en accion, puesto que las mujeres no tienen el poder de decision ni los recursos financieros en el hogar. Hemos examinado los conocimientos y la dinamica de poder de las interacciones proveedor-paciente, asi como las implicaciones con respecto al tratamiento de la malaria, de educar a las madres durante la consulta. Metodos Se realizaron entrevistas en profundidad en Tanga, Tanzania, a participantes de 79 hogares durante dos anos, para explorar el conocimiento y las percepciones de la enfermedad febril, su tratamiento y prevencion. Se entrevistaron tambien 55 clinicos en instalaciones sanitarias gubernamentales y privadas sobre el conocimiento de sus pacientes y la busqueda activa de tratamiento. Los datos se analizaron utilizando el metodo del ‘‘grounded theory’’. Resultados Los informantes tenian un buen conocimiento de la etiologia de la malaria, sus sintomas y el tratamiento. El personal sanitario reporto que las madres eran capaces de dar suficiente informacion sobre su nino como para realizar un diagnostico acertado. Sin embargo, el personal sanitario continua viendo a las madres que se presentan tarde a las instalaciones sanitarias como ‘‘mal educadas’’, intelectualmente incapaces y perezosas. Mientras que la evidencia demuestra que las decisiones sobre el tratamiento no las toma la madre, sino que mas bien son responsabilidad de la figura masculina de la familia, son las mujeres quienes continuan siendo culpabilizadas y a quienes se dirige la educacion sanitaria. Conclusiones Los metodos educativos agresivos utilizados por el personal sanitario pueden ser contraproducentes para aquellos que ya tienen el conocimiento, pero que sin embargo no tienen control sobre la toma de decisiones dentro del hogar. Esto podria conllevar a un retraso a la hora de presentarse en las instalaciones sanitarias. Proponemos que se replantee la educacion sanitaria de forma que este de acuerdo con el contexto en el que se imparte y que tenga en cuenta las relaciones de poder entre clases y genero, y que tengan como objetivo tanto a hombres como a mujeres.

BACKGROUND Over the past 50 years, antibiotics of choice for treatment of plague, including streptomycin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline, have mostly become outdated or unavailable. To test gentamicin in the treatment of naturally occurring plague and the implications of its use in the treatment of bioterrorist plague, a randomized, comparative, open-label, clinical trial comparing monotherapy with gentamicin or doxycycline was conducted in Tanzania. METHODS Sixty-five adults and children with symptoms of bubonic, septicemic, or pneumonic plague of < or =3 days duration were enrolled in the study. Bubo aspirates and blood were cultured for Yersinia pestis. Acute-phase and convalescent-phase serum samples were tested for antibody against fraction 1 antigen of Y. pestis. Thirty-five patients were randomized to receive gentamicin (2.5 mg/kg intramuscularly every 12 h for 7 days), and 30 patients were randomized to receive doxycycline (100 mg [adults] and 2.2 mg/kg [children] orally every 12 h for 7 days). Serum creatinine concentrations were measured before and after treatment, and peak and trough concentrations of antibiotics were measured. RESULTS Three patients, 2 of whom were treated with gentamicin and 1 of whom was treated with doxycycline, died on the first or second day of treatment, and these deaths were attributed to advanced disease and complications including pneumonia, septicemia, hemorrhage, and renal failure at the start of therapy. All other patients experienced cure or an improved condition after receiving therapy, resulting in favorable response rates of 94% for gentamicin (95% CI, 81.1%-99.0%) and 97% for doxycycline (95% CI, 83.4%-99.8%). Y. pestis isolates obtained from 30 patients belonged to biotype antigua and were susceptible to gentamicin and doxycycline, which had MICs of 0.13 mg/L and 0.25-0.5 mg/L, respectively. Serum concentrations of antibiotics were within therapeutic ranges, and adverse events were infrequent. Patients treated with gentamicin demonstrated a modest increase in the mean serum creatinine concentration after treatment (P

Background Studies show that the burden of malaria remains huge particularly in low-income settings. Although effective malaria control measures such as insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) have been promoted, relatively little is known about their equity dimension. Understanding variations in their use in low-income settings is important for scaling up malaria control programmes particularly ITNs. The objective of this paper is to measure the extent and causes of inequalities in the ownership and utilisation of bed nets across socioeconomic groups (SEGs) and age groups in Tanga District, north-eastern Tanzania. Methods A questionnaire was administered to heads of 1,603 households from rural and urban areas. Households were categorized into SEGs using both an asset-based wealth index and education level of the household head. Concentration indices and regression-based measures of inequality were computed to analyse both vertical and horizontal inequalities in ownership and utilisation of bed nets. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were used to explore community perspectives on the causes of inequalities. Results Use of ITNs remained appallingly low compared to the RBM target of 80% coverage. Inequalities in ownership of ITNs and all nets combined were significantly pro-rich and were much more pronounced in rural areas. FGDs revealed that lack of money was the key factor for not using ITNs followed by negative perceptions about the effect of insecticides on the health of users. Household SES, living within the urban areas and being under-five were positively associated with bed net ownership and/or utilisation. Conclusion The results highlight the need for mass distribution of ITN; a community-wide programme to treat all untreated nets and to promote the use of Long-Lasting Insecticidal nets (LLINs) or longer-lasting treatment of nets. The rural population and under-fives should be targeted through highly subsidised schemes and mass distribution of free nets. Public campaigns are also needed to encourage people to use treated nets and mitigate negative perceptions about insecticides.

Introduction Since the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988, there has been a tremendous progress in the reduction of cases of poliomyelitis. The world is on the verge of achieving global polio eradication and in May 2013, the 66th World Health Assembly endorsed the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan (PEESP) 2013–2018. The plan provides a timeline for the completion of the GPEI by eliminating all paralytic polio due to both wild and vaccine-related polioviruses. Methods We reviewed how GPEI supported communicable disease surveillance in seven of the eight countries that were documented as part of World Health Organization African Region best practices documentation. Data from WHO African region was also reviewed to analyze the performance of measles cases based surveillance. Results All 7 countries (100%) which responded had integrated communicable diseases surveillance core functions with AFP surveillance. The difference is on the number of diseases included based on epidemiology of diseases in a particular country. The results showed that the polio eradication infrastructure has supported and improved the implementation of surveillance of other priority communicable diseases under integrated diseases surveillance and response strategy. Conclusion As we approach polio eradication, polio-eradication initiative staff, financial resources, and infrastructure can be used as one strategy to build IDSR in Africa. As we are now focusing on measles and rubella elimination by the year 2020, other disease-specific programs having similar goals of eradicating and eliminating diseases like malaria, might consider investing in general infectious disease surveillance following the polio example.