The Ifakara Health Institute coordinated a two-day workshop from December 16-17, 2024, in Morogoro, Tanzania, focusing on developing a national strategy for communication, advocacy, and dissemination of vital statistics. The workshop brought together members of a dedicated Task Force comprised of senior communication professionals from key government agencies.

Key highlights
The Task Force consists of representatives from the Ministry of Health (MOH), the President’s Office - Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), the Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), and the Ifakara Health Institute. 

The Head of Communication at Ifakara, Bilal Aziz, and Principal Investigator for the Data for Health (D4H) project, Sigilbert Mrema, facilitated the workshop.

The Task Force is tasked with developing a national communication strategy for vital statistics by the end of March 2025. This initiative is supported by the Data for Health project, supported by Vital Strategies under the Data for Impact program.

About the partners
RITA: oversees the registration of vital events such as births, deaths, and marriages in Tanzania. It ensures legal identity for citizens and maintains essential population records.

NBS: is Tanzania’s central authority for official statistics. It collects, analyzes, and disseminates data to support policy and decision-making processes in various sectors.

Vital Strategies: is a global public health organization based in the United States. It collaborates with governments and partners to design and implement evidence-based health programs, including data-driven health policy initiatives.

Why vital statistics matter
Vital statistics refer to data on key life events such as births, deaths, and marriages. These statistics help governments track population changes, plan public services, and implement effective policies.

Looking ahead
The Task Force’s work builds on Tanzania’s century-long history of civil registration and data collection. The collaborative effort will strengthen interagency communication and ensure the effective use of vital statistics for policymaking and national development.