27 September 2006
Tanzania, United States Work Together on New Health Center
Center will serve victims of vehicle accidents in high-risk area
The following article was published September 16 on the Web site of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, a unit of the U.S. Central Command that conducts operations and training to help host nations combat terrorism in order to establish a secure environment and enable regional stability. There are no republication restrictions.
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Saturday, September 16, 2006
New Health Center in Tanzania Dedicated, Ready for Equipment
Story by CJTF-HOA Public Affairs
Msata, Tanzania -- Senior officials from the Bagamoyo District, Tanzanian Peoples’ Defense Forces (TPDF), the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam, and Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) dedicated the newly constructed Msata Health Center here on September 12, 2006.
U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania Michael Retzer attended and unveiled a dedication plaque for the new center.
The health center will enable Bagamoyo medical personnel to provide triage in an area well known for its severe and often fatal vehicle accidents.
The design for the center was developed by Bagamoyo District officials and facilitated by TPDF engineers. CJTF-HOA contracted with Tanzanian Building Works, Ltd., to construct the facility, and locally hired workers began construction July 8, completing the project August 18, 2006.
The local government agreed to provide the equipment for the new facility if the U.S. could pay for and build it. The dedication will signify the completion of the U.S. part of the agreement, and leave the clinic awaiting the local government to fill it with the necessary supplies.
The total cost to build the new health center was $144,000 (about Tshs.18.9 million) and was funded by the United States government. U.S. Central Command’s joint task force, based in Djibouti, administered the project and provided engineering and contracting support.
The TPDF and U.S. military recently completed other humanitarian projects in the area during Exercise Natural Fire 2006, a 10-day multilateral training exercise conducted in August. Two of these projects were the refurbishment of the Bagamoyo Dispensary near the health center, and a medical civil action program that provided acute care to more than 3000 people.
More information on CJTF-HOA activities is available on the task force's Web site.
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(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
