Mr. Mpogolo was speaking today in Mbeya when he opened a three-day training sponsored by the HPSS project to strengthen the capacity of regional and council-level health coordinating teams in implementing the Jazia PVS guidelines.

However, he bemoaned the tendency of drug pilfering by some dishonest health workers which he said undermines the government’s efforts in ensuring consistent quality healthcare delivery.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to ask all Council Directors to make sure they conduct regular audits in the health facilities under their jurisdiction to ensure the health commodities are managed properly”, he said.

In Geita, similar training was officiated by the Acting Regional Administrative Secretary, Herman Matemu, who represented the Regional Commissioner. He said Jazia PVS’s ultimate goal is to ensure 100% availability of health commodities in all public health facilities.

Participants in the training included Council Directors, Procurement and ICT Officers, Pharmacists, and Regional and District Medical Officers. They were capacitated on the Jazia PVS implementation manual and Jazia Prime Vendor Management Information System  (JPVMIS).

Meanwhile, Tanzania's Coastal Region has recorded a 94.6% availability of health commodities in its public health facilities, courtesy of Jazia PVS, which complements MSD. This was said by the Regional Administrative Secretary, Zuwena Omary during training on the Jazia PVS implementation manual and JPVMIS at Kibaha, the region’s headquarters.

On his part, Coastal Regional Medical Officer, Dr. Gunini Kamba hailed the Jazia PVS which he said bridges the supply gap of health commodities in the event that MSD runs out of stock.

Speaking at the opening of Jazia PVS training in Kagera Region, Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila commended the government for ensuring that innovative and user-friendly health systems are in place.

“The onus is on you, regional and council health coordinating teams to ensure these systems are managed properly so that the optimum results that come with quality healthcare delivery are realized”, said Chalamila.