Health Financing and TB Advocacy Momentum Builds in Tanzania

Between 28 May and 2 June 2025, a series of strategic meetings and parliamentary discussions took place in Tanzania, highlighting growing political recognition of the need for increased domestic investment in health, particularly for diseases like tuberculosis (TB).

National Parliamentary Hearing

During the National Parliamentary Hearing, Members of Parliament voiced deep concern over declining external donor support for health and called for urgent increases in domestic health financing. A presentation by the Global TB Caucus (GTBC) was met with strong support, with MPs proposing the relaunch of the Tanzania Parliamentary TB Caucus following the general elections set for October 2025.

Crucially, MPs stressed that future Caucus members should be drawn from the Parliamentary Health Committee to ensure greater influence on health policy and budget decisions. With parliamentary operations expected to pause from 27 June 2025, MPs identified the February–March 2026 budget review as a strategic window for renewed TB and health-related advocacy.

Although MPs acknowledged that the current election period limits their engagement, they called for the preparation of concrete evidence on legal and policy gaps to be presented in the next parliamentary session—laying the groundwork for stronger reforms in 2026.

Health Committee and Government Commitments

The Parliamentary Health Committee’s report echoed these priorities, outlining persistent challenges such as:

• Delayed or partial disbursement of health funds

• The urgent need for sustainable, innovative financing mechanisms

• The importance of fully implementing the Universal Health Insurance Act to improve access to services

  
  

These recommendations were reinforced by the Ministry of Health’s 2025/2026 budget, which unveiled a significant increase in the national health allocation—from TZS 1.3 trillion to TZS 1.6 trillion (USD 502 million to USD 618 million). This budget boost prioritizes improved access to life-saving treatments for TB, HIV, and malaria.

In a proactive measure to mitigate the impact of shifting donor priorities, the government allocated TZS 202 billion (USD 78 million) between March and June 2025 to protect essential health services. Of this, over TZS 93 billion (USD 35.7 million) has already been disbursed for antiretrovirals (ARVs), TB, and malaria commodities—underscoring the government's intent to sustain critical health interventions.

Looking Ahead

These developments mark a critical moment for TB advocates in Tanzania. As the country heads into its general elections, the groundwork is being laid for stronger parliamentary engagement and more effective policy influence in the post-election period.

The Global TB Caucus remains committed to supporting Tanzanian MPs and civil society in leveraging this momentum to secure sustained domestic investment, ensure policy alignment, and ultimately strengthen the fight to end TB in Tanzania.