What are the challenges of the Tanzanian public health system, a representative country for health planning under resources constraints? What are the socio-political preconditions and how do they differ compared to the Swiss situation? What impacts have changes in society under these resource constraint conditions? We will discuss these complex questions on site with leading experts.
In this Winter Academy taking place in Tanzania, we focus on the interaction between public health and the socio-political system of a resource constraint country. We will specifically look at the example of Tanzania, but aim at a holistic and mainly a comparative view including other countries. The approach therefore includes the medical, social, economic and political dimension and goes across systems and cultures reaching a transdisciplinary view of global health issues. Thus, the local situation will be analysed in the international context and particularly compared to the Swiss setting.
In interactive classes and group approaches, participants will look at different aspects of public health care, tackle questions regarding public versus private roles and responsibilities, and address how people under resource constraint conditions can integrate into the triad ‘become healthy – be healthy – remain healthy’. Important factors and players involved in this challenging situation are medical institutions and funding bodies (e.g. mission stations and developmental aid institutions), Tanzania’s changing society and social system (e.g. extended families get replaced by other family forms), urbanisation, and political stakeholders.
The Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), the host of this Winter Academy, is one of the most renowned research, training and service organisations on the African continent. Its development started in 1949 from a research and training partnership with the Swiss Tropical Institute (today Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute; Swiss TPH) to the Swiss Tropical Institute Field Laboratory in 1956 and through the continuously strengthened Swiss–Tanzanian partnership reached the autonomous status as a Tanzanian Trust in 1996. Today, the institute’s work spans across a wide range of sciences including biomedical, ecological or health systems research while remaining a close partner of Swiss TPH and Switzerland together with many other key partners worldwide. The participants of the Winter Academy will profit from the vast experience of the leading Swiss and Tanzanian experts Prof. Dr. Marcel Tanner, Dr. Honorati Masanja and Dr. Hassan Mshinda and others.
Leaders:
– Prof. Dr. Marcel Tanner (President Swiss Academy of Sciences and Director Emeritus of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health)
– Dr. Honorati Masanja (Director IHI)
– Dr. Hassan Mshinda (Former Director of the IHI and former General Director Tanzania Commission for Science & Technology; Senior consultant to the Botnar Foundation)
Coordination: Caroline Schärli and Barbara Dankwa
Administration: Nathalie Ellington
Date: Monday, 7th January – Friday, 18th January 2019
Location: Bagamoyo, Tanzania: Bagamoyo Research and Training Centre (BRTC) of the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI); accommodation: Travellers Lodge
Working Language: English
Preparatory reading: A reader will be provided prior to the course. Student’s preparatory contributions (e.g. paper presentations) will be announced closer to the time.
Participants: max. 20
Costs: CHF 400 (incl. flight, accommodation, excursions and most of the meals). In justified cases, the amount may be remitted.
Further Remarks: Be aware that you may likely meet simpler living standards than you are used to from Switzerland. Participants will be accommodated in a local guesthouse. Medical precautionary measures are the participant’s sole responsibility. Please inform yourself well ahead of time.
