The Midterm Review (MTR) consultants from the Ifakara Health Institute participated in the 24th Joint Annual Health Sector Policy Review Meeting held in Dodoma. The meeting placed a strong emphasis on reviewing the progress of the Health Sector Strategic Plan V (HSSP V), among other key commitments. 

Ifakara was represented by Dr. Sally Mtenga and Dr. Francis Levira. They were joined by Dr. Angel Dilip from Apotheker.

The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Health (MOH), Jenista Mhagama, and attended by key health sector stakeholders including the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Seif Shekalaghe, representatives from President's Office - Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG) development partners, and non-state actors.

Findings highlight health sector progress and areas needing improvement
During the session, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Grace Magembe presented multiple health sector commitments and some key findings of the HSSP V Midterm Review. The MTR review highlighted notable progress in the health sector—particularly in the expansion of health facilities, enhancement of public-private partnerships, stronger Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) coordination, improvements in the availability of medical supplies and equipment, as well as positive trends in maternal and reproductive health indicators.

However, the findings also pointed to areas requiring urgent attention. These include neonatal health, the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, human resources for health, and the ongoing journey toward achieving universal health insurance coverage.

A key outcome of the meeting was the signing of sector priorities to be implemented in the fiscal year 2025/2026.

Background on the MTR
The MTR of the HSSP V was commissioned by MoH and the World Health Organization (WHO). The MTR aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the implementation progress of HSSP V. Led by Principal Investigators Dr. Sally Mtenga with the support of Dr. Getrude Mollel and Dr. Francis Levira from IHI, and supervised by Project Leader Dr. Honorati Masanja, the review is conducted in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health and key stakeholders. This thorough analysis will help ensure the continued successful implementation of HSSP V.

We extend our sincere thanks to the Ministry of Health, PO-RALG, other stakeholders and the dedicated team of fellow MTR consultants—from the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), Apotheker, AMREF, MUHAS, and local experts—whose hard work made this critical milestone possible.