Attracting Low Level Trained Health Workers in the Rural Areas: Insights from Discrete Choice Experiment

One of the biggest challenges that policy makers face in the health sector in Tanzania is how to attract qualified human resources to the rural and remote parts of Tanzania. Currently the government has been able to only employ 35% of needed work force. The distribution of the employed health workers is characterized by geographical imbalance, attributed by reluctance to work in remote and rural. In addressing the gap, the government has increased training of lower carder health workers. However, less is known on how the newly trained lower carders would respond to known job attributes (incentiveswhile eliciting choices for particular place; particularly their attraction to rural and remote areas. To determine the important financial and non-financial incentives that would attract low level trained health workers to work in rural and remote areas. A cross sectional explorative study using experimental economics design of discrete choices was conducted among 195 Low level final year students at Musoma Clinical Assistants School, Tarime and Geita Nursing Schools. The study investigated the incentive (attributes) package that attracts low level trained health workers in rural areas. A multivariate binary logit model was used to estimate the extent to which Low level trained health workers were willing to tradeoff between the five job attributes (net monthly pay, provision of basic housing, opportunities to upgrade their qualifications, availability of medicines and other supplies and good leadership and management) and the selection of either rural or urban job. Most Low Level Trained Health workers‟ were willing to tradeoff job attributes in favor of provision of upgrading training in exchange of a rural job, OR=0.83(0.7- 11), with P value =0.037, had statistically significant influence on Low Level trained health workers‟ preferences. Further analysis of sub-groups showed almost similar results, with significantly influencing selection of rural jobs by students who resides in rural areas. Ranking of the attributes by using simple ordering and the DCE models, ware not statistically different, P-values = 1.573. Provision of upgrading training is more likely to attract to Low Level health workers to work in rural areas. However combining provision of training with increase in net monthly pay and/ or availability of medicines can enhance the chances of low level health workers tochoose a rural job

Choosing between Research Rigour or Support for Advocacy Movements, a False Dichotomy?

Using the case study of the Hunger and Nutrition Commitment Index (HANCI), this article seeks to answer key questions relating to the conceptualisation and operationalisation of engaged excellence, exploring the tensions between research and policy advocacy. While the concept of ‘engaged excellence’ recognises that excellence can be constituted by high‑quality research as well as by research that supports efforts to influence policy, it could be more specific in taking position on discussions that situate these to be mutually incompatible. Evidence from multiple contexts has shown that research is much more likely to influence policy if researchers engage with civil society. Research for international development, which explicitly aims to reduce inequalities, accelerate sustainability, and build more inclusive societies, can gain from active engagement with policy advocates. It is a false dichotomy to separate out research from research for advocacy, and there is much to be gained from such a collaboration

Abstracts of Tanzania Health Summit 2020

This book contains the abstracts of the papers/posters presented at the Tanzania Health Summit 2020 (THS-2020) Organized by the Ministry of Health Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MoHCDGEC); President Office Regional Administration and Local Government (PORALG); Ministry of Health, Social Welfare, Elderly, Gender, and Children Zanzibar; Association of Private Health Facilities in Tanzania (APHFTA); National Muslim Council of Tanzania (BAKWATA); Christian Social Services Commission (CSSC); & Tindwa Medical and Health Services (TMHS) held on 25–26 November 2020. The Tanzania Health Summit is the annual largest healthcare platform in Tanzania that attracts more than 1000 participants, national and international experts, from policymakers, health researchers, public health professionals, health insurers, medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, private health investors, supply chain experts, and the civil society. During the three-day summit, stakeholders and decision-makers from every field in healthcare work together to find solutions to the country’s and regional health challenges and set the agenda for a healthier future. Summit Title: Tanzania Health SummitSummit Acronym: THS-2020Summit Date: 25–26 November 2020Summit Location: St. Gasper Hotel and Conference Centre in Dodoma, TanzaniaSummit Organizers: Ministry of Health Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MoHCDGEC); President Office Regional Administration and Local Government (PORALG); Ministry of Health, Social Welfare, Elderly, Gender and Children Zanzibar; Association of Private Health Facilities in Tanzania (APHFTA); National Muslim Council of Tanzania (BAKWATA); Christian Social Services Commission (CSSC); & Tindwa Medical and Health Services (TMHS)