Tanzania Assistant Medical Officers and Clinical Officers
Keywords:
Tanzania, Medical Officers, Clinical OfficersAbstract
In 1961 the implementation and construction of a training center in Tanzania, named the Rural Aid Centre was created with assistance from President Mwalimu Nyerere and Geigy Pharmaceutical Company and The Basel Foundation for the Advancement of Developing Countries. The goal of this center was to support a training program in Ifakara, Tanzania, which offered a three-month basic first aid training to prepare locals to work in village dispensaries.
In 1973, with the success of the Rural Aid Centre, the Ministry of Health and the faculty at Dar es Salaam asked The Basel Foundation to help upgrade the center to a Medical Assistant Training Centre (MATC). The Foundation agreed to support the MATC for five years, including financing new infrastructure (e.g., new lecture halls and dormitories), and then transition it to local ownership. COs were amongst the first cadre trained.
In 1978, the Tanzanian government took responsibility for the MATC. Heavy seasonal rains and inadequate maintenance left the MATC in disrepair. The head of another local health institution recounted, “The MATC was really starting to go down, not enough funding, poor management, no innovation and leadership is lacking.” In 1994, the MATC upgraded to again to become a Clinical Officer Training Center (COTC). Clinical Officers then had the ability to train as a CO or extended training to become an Assistant Medical Officer. The Clinical Officer and Assistant Medical Officer profession has had a few name changes and undergone many trials and tribulations but has come out as one of the main health cadres providing care to the country.
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