23 September 2026
Tanzania's Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary, Dr Grace Magembe, spoke on 23 September 2026 in New York, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
The high-level meeting, organised by the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU), sought to speed up the elimination of cervical cancer.
She said Tanzania has made progress on the first target of the global 90-70-90 strategy: more than 95 per cent of girls have been reached with the HPV vaccine.
The government has distributed 359 thermocoagulation devices and 33 LEEP machines, and 4,032 health workers have been trained in cervical cancer screening.
Tanzania is widening screening in rural areas, including self-collection of samples for HPV DNA testing, and is piloting artificial intelligence tools such as the SEVIA system.
Girls reached with HPV vaccine:
More than 95%
Thermocoagulation devices distributed:
359
LEEP machines distributed:
33
Health workers trained in screening:
4,032
Why it matters for exams: Links a country's health record to the WHO 90-70-90 cervical cancer targets, a frequent topic in health and international affairs papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
HPV Human Papillomavirus — A virus whose persistent infection causes almost all cases of cervical cancer.
90-70-90 WHO cervical cancer elimination targets for 2030 — 90% of girls vaccinated against HPV by 15, 70% of women screened, and 90% of women with disease treated.
LEEP Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure — A procedure that removes precancerous tissue from the cervix with a heated wire loop.
BCIU Business Council for International Understanding — A US-based body that convenes business and government leaders.
24 September 2026
A working session on reproductive, maternal and child health for Tanzania's Lake Zone opened in Shinyanga on 24 September 2026.
It was opened by Dr Samson Kitiba, the zone's acting chairperson and Director of Services and Surgery at Bugando Hospital.
The Ministry of Health said the number of health facilities in the country rose from 1,783 in 2023 to 2,424 in 2025.
The Lake Zone has six regions (Mwanza, Mara, Simiyu, Shinyanga, Geita and Kagera), about 17.8 million people and 43 councils.
Dr Kitiba named newborn deaths and staff shortages, especially of anaesthesia specialists, as continuing challenges.
Health facilities, 2023:
1,783
Health facilities, 2025:
2,424
Lake Zone population:
About 17.8 million
Lake Zone councils:
43
Why it matters for exams: Tracks Tanzania's health infrastructure expansion and the geography of its Lake Victoria basin regions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
RMNCH Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health — The cluster of health services covering pregnancy, childbirth, newborns and children.
Bugando Hospital Bugando Medical Centre — A major referral hospital in Mwanza serving Tanzania's Lake Zone.
24 September 2026
Construction of infrastructure at Msalato International Airport in Dodoma has reached 89.02 per cent, the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) said on 24 September 2026.
TANROADS Chief Executive Eng. Mohamed Besta gave the figures to journalists in Dodoma.
The runway is 98 per cent complete and the taxiways and apron 99 per cent; the buildings package stands at 78.37 per cent, with the passenger terminal at 81 per cent and the control tower at 74 per cent.
Infrastructure works are expected to be completed on 27 November 2026 and the buildings on 30 December 2026.
The project has created 9,059 jobs.
Infrastructure progress:
89.02%
Buildings progress:
78.37%
Infrastructure completion:
27 November 2026
Buildings completion:
30 December 2026
Jobs created:
9,059
Why it matters for exams: A flagship project of Tanzania's capital, Dodoma, often asked alongside the shift of government from Dar es Salaam.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
TANROADS Tanzania National Roads Agency — Government agency that builds and maintains Tanzania's trunk roads and also executes airport works.
Apron Apron — The area of an airport where aircraft are parked, loaded and refuelled.
ILS Instrument Landing System — Ground radio equipment that guides aircraft to the runway in poor visibility.
24 September 2026
Tanzania's Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA) reported its five-year achievements on 24 September 2026 at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC) in Dar es Salaam.
Director General CPA Dr Habibu Suluo spoke at a meeting of editors and journalists organised by the Office of the Treasury Registrar.
Transport licences issued rose by 146.1 per cent, from 239,953 in 2021/22 to 590,468 in 2025/26, an average annual growth of 27.2 per cent.
Between 2022/23 and 2025/26, 15,547 drivers were registered and tested through the Drivers Testing System, and 8,642 passed and were certified.
LATRA said 4,664 crew members were registered in 2025/26.
Licences, 2021/22:
239,953
Licences, 2025/26:
590,468
Increase:
146.1%
Average annual growth:
27.2%
Drivers certified:
8,642
Why it matters for exams: Regulatory bodies and their mandates, with headline growth figures, are common in economy and governance questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
LATRA Land Transport Regulatory Authority — Tanzania's regulator for road and rail transport services, including licensing of commercial vehicles.
JNICC Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre — A major conference venue in Dar es Salaam named after Tanzania's first President.
Treasury Registrar Office of the Treasury Registrar (OTR) — Tanzanian office that oversees government investments in public institutions and state firms.
24 September 2026
Tanzania's Minister of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Paul Makonda, said on 24 September 2026 in Dar es Salaam that about two billion shillings in royalties are due to be paid to the country's artists.
The money has been collected from the use of artists' works.
He said the law sets out, through COSOTA, how copyright is protected and how royalties are shared.
The government aims to make the arts a lasting source of jobs and income for creators.
The minister also said preparations for AFCON 2027 are under way, covering transport, accommodation, broadcasting and medical services.
Royalties due to artists:
About TSh 2 billion
Administering body:
COSOTA
Minister:
Paul Makonda
Why it matters for exams: Copyright collecting societies and the creative economy are tested under intellectual property; AFCON 2027 co-hosting is a sports current-affairs staple.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
COSOTA Copyright Society of Tanzania — Tanzania's body that registers copyright and collects and distributes royalties.
Royalty Royalty — A payment made to a creator each time their work is used.
AFCON Africa Cup of Nations — Africa's main international football championship, run by CAF.
24 September 2026
The Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) set out on 24 September 2026 the measures it has taken to control flooding at Jangwani in Dar es Salaam.
Engineer Samueli Nyari said a diversion road has been raised to about 7 metres above sea level.
A new bridge has been built to a height of about 8.4 metres, compared with 6 metres for the old bridge, and with a span that lets large volumes of water pass quickly.
TANROADS is clearing the river upstream and downstream, demolishing the old bridge, and has built culverts with six openings in two places.
The agency asked the public not to dump waste in rivers and drains and to follow official instructions during heavy rains.
New bridge height:
About 8.4 metres
Old bridge height:
6 metres
Diversion road level:
About 7 metres above sea level
Culvert openings:
Six, in two places
Why it matters for exams: Urban flood management and climate-resilient infrastructure are recurring environment and disaster-management topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Culvert Culvert — A pipe or channel that carries water under a road or embankment.
Diversion road Diversion road — A temporary or alternative road that carries traffic around works.
24 September 2026
Tanzania's Minister of Health, Mohamed Mchengerwa, called on African countries and partners on 24 September 2026 to adopt sustainable strategies against malaria.
He spoke at a high-level meeting in New York on strengthening local innovation and speeding up the use of new malaria tools.
He said Africa carries most of the malaria burden and should take a bigger role in developing, financing and ensuring access to the tools needed to eliminate the disease, and should build capacity to produce essential health products close to the communities that need them, rather than relying only on imported technology and outside funding.
He cited Tanzania's record: early production of insecticide-treated mosquito nets in Arusha, and production at Kibaha of biological larvicides that target mosquito breeding sites.
He also cited a large study in Misungwi, Mwanza Region, that produced evidence on nets with two active ingredients.
Speaker:
Mohamed Mchengerwa, Minister of Health
Venue:
New York
Larvicide production:
Kibaha
Dual-ingredient net study:
Misungwi, Mwanza Region
Why it matters for exams: Malaria elimination, local manufacturing of health products and new net technologies are recurring health and science questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Larvicide Larvicide — A substance that kills mosquito larvae in water before they become adults.
ITN Insecticide-treated net — A mosquito net treated with insecticide that kills or repels mosquitoes.
Dual-active-ingredient net Net with two active ingredients — A net combining two insecticides, used where mosquitoes resist a single chemical.
24 September 2026
Tanzania's Ministry of Health and partners opened a two-day working session in Morogoro on 24 September 2026 to review child and newborn health programmes.
The session, held on 24 and 25 September, was opened by Dr Christina Guveti, Acting Regional Medical Officer of Morogoro.
Ms Naomi Chamhene, the Ministry's Child Health Services Coordinator, said that according to the 2022 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS), the newborn mortality rate is 24 deaths per 1,000 live births.
The government's plan is to reduce this to 12 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030.
Dr Guveti said all 8 councils of Morogoro Region receive government funds every year for medical equipment and health facilities, including children's wards.
Newborn mortality (TDHS 2022):
24 per 1,000 live births
Target by 2030:
12 per 1,000 live births
Session dates:
24-25 September 2026
Councils in Morogoro Region:
8
Why it matters for exams: Neonatal mortality rate and the SDG 3.2 target of 12 per 1,000 live births by 2030 are standard health-indicator questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
TDHS Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey — Tanzania's national household survey on population, health and nutrition.
Neonatal mortality rate Neonatal mortality rate — Deaths of babies in the first 28 days of life per 1,000 live births.
SDG 3.2 Sustainable Development Goal target 3.2 — UN target to end preventable newborn and under-five deaths by 2030.